The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1914-08-07
COMBATANTS In
EUR0PE'S war
Courier Journai)

sizes. The Carpathian and Balkan
ranges and the Dinaric Alps make the
country rather difficult for large
bodies of invading troops and favor
small bodies of native soldiery ac-
auainted with the territory and popu-
larly supported.
The Servians are an agricultural
people, depending largely upon the
sheltered valleys and plains which
yield generously while a rigorous eli
mate exists in the mountains. Despite
Government efforts to correct the de-
feet there is practically no manufac-
turing in Servia. and while the larder
can be kept well filed so long as the
land is not devastated the Servians
are dependent upon help from beyond
the borders for the machinery of war.
The Servians are poor. Their rev
enue is somewhat under $l5,O00O00 a
year. But they are-frugal and the pub
lie debt has remained below the
$l00, oO0, 900 mark. Modern warfare is
enormously expensive and quickly
sends the national debt of small
agricultural country beyond the dan
ger mark.
The thinness OF the veneer OF civili-
zation in Servia is fairly reflected by
the manner in which way was made
for the present King to ascend the
throne.
King Alexender's marriage with
Draga Maschin, lady-in- waiting
twelve years his senior, did not
please the Servian ministry and the
ministry resigned. The people regis
tered no objection to what the min
istry regarded as an unsuitable match
and the populace Justify cheered the
bridal party.
But three years after the marriage,
which was celebrated in 1900, band
Of. conspirators, or their hirelings, en-
tered the palace and murdered the
King and Queen and several other
members of the royal household. The
Servian statesmen who Matched the
plot had previously made an arrange
ment with the pretender to the throne,
Prince Peter Karageorgevitch. who
was residing at Geneva.
II is, of course, denied that he sane
toned the means proposed. and his
adherents hold that he did not know
Of any specific plot to clear the throne
for his coming, but was willing to
harken to the call OF his country
should a vacancy occur.
At any rate the present King of
Servia owes his elevation to one OF the
most savage crimes OF modern history
which could have been arranged as II
was arranged only in a country whose
leading men have the ethics OF the
statesmen Of ancient Persia. King
Peter was an old man when he secured
the throne.
His first sons dissipation and dis
agreeable personal qualities made
him an impossible heir apparent. and
he stepped aside in favor of his
younger brother, who has recently
been occupying the throne in the alb
sence Of his father who had been popu-
larly believed to have abdicated under
consideration because OF wish to
spend his declining years in care-free
private life.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, the annex
alton OF which has been a thorn in the
side OF Servia since II was accomplish
ed few years ago, were not parts of
Servia
Bosnia was the extreme northwest
ern province OF Turkey-in- Europe.
both Bosnia proper and
Herzegovina as well az parts OF Turk
ish Croatia and Dalmatia. 1t was
bounded on the north by the River
Save, which, with the Danube, sepa-
rates Servia from Hungary. The
eartern boundary OF Bosnia was
Albania and Montenegro. 1t was occu-
pied by Austrian troops under the
terms OF the Treaty OF Berlin, drafted
In 1878, to be administered by the
Austrian Government for an Indefinite
time.
Bosnia proper is nearly as large as
SeTvia. 1t is inhabited chiefly by
Bosniaks who are Mohammedans. and
partly by Servians and Croats. Her
zegoyina is a mountainous section
covering about 700 square miles. 1t
only about 100000 souls. |
Bosnia as taken by King Stephen OF
Servia in the Fourteenth century, but |
It had experienced both independence |
and Turkish dominance when an Aus |
trian military governor was placed |
in charge of it.
The annexation of the two Turkish |
'vilayets" in which Servia had an in
terest followed the common course OF /
events in world history after the Treaty |
of Berlin placed Austria in undisputed
possession OF the territory's affairs.
ssss
The capital OF Bosnia is Bosnia |
Serai, otherwise known as Serajevo,
where Grand Duke Ferdinand and the
Grand Duchess were assassinated by
/ Seryian of anti-annexation sympa
.hies. Arms are to limited extent
made in Serajevo, and there are iron
mines near by, but the equipment for
is probably too small to
,e OF consequence in modern warfare
The total area OF Austria Hungary /
8 100000 square miles as against less
han 10000 square miles thin Servia's
boundaries. Even in proportion to
han Servia. Its manufactures alone
un to $600,000,000 year as against
lmost nothing in Servia. The empire
las more than 10000 miles of railway.
here are less than 400 miles In Ser
la. The revenue of Austria Hungary
) nearly 5000, GEO, 900 crowns. The ex-
are less than the income.
n the unequal contest with Servia, IL
he contest should remain confined to
he two countries now involved, the
ost of war would be a pittance to
lustria where II would be ruinous to I
ervia.