New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-28
TO TEACH SERVIA A LESSON
Austrias Only Object in Going to
War, 1t Is Said.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: May | speak word of protest
against the tenor Of your editorial IN
YOUR issue of to-day. headed Austria,
Hungary Hot for War? The DUAL
Monarchy is not "hot for war; II IS
merely determined, after years OF pa
tient protest. to teach Servia a lesson
that it will not forget in hurry.
Belgrade is the centre of move
mcnt that has for years been foment-
ing disco1tent and instruction among
the Austro- Hungarian Serbs. It's only
argument is a hazy "nationalism" based
on the imaginary glories of Servlan
Fmnire in the fourteenth century. The
historical fact is that this famous en-
pire lasted just ten years, 1t was a
Servian- Greek empire at that, and It's
civilization was that Of Byzantium
This is all the historical basis Servlan
nationality" has. Its civilizations
have always been imposed upon 1t from
without from the west, from Venice
and Austre-Hungary.
To-day the most prosperous. the best
educated parts of the Serb race owe
both their prosperity and their enlight-
eminent to Austria-Hungary. The per
centage Of illiteracy in the Servian
Kingdom is 50 per cent; in Bosnia
Herzegovina it has been reduced TO 40
per cent during the forty years OF
Austro-Hungarian administration. But
the Serb listens to the voice of Russia.
lie won't like Russian civilization II
he ever gets II.
Austria-Hungary is not "hot for
war;; not her interests in the Balkans
are her first concern in the present
case, but the preservation OF peace and
order in her own southern domnions.
Assassination is the only argument
Of which Scrvia is capable. Between
the assassination of King Alexander
and Queen Draga. with its unprlntable
srotomaniac mutilation of the Queen
body. and the murder of Francis Fer
dinand and the Duchess of Hohenbers
there has been that proof of the broth
eily love of the Balkan races, the at
tempted assassination OF Nicholas OF
Montenegro shortly before the Balkan
war, an attempt whose story was sup
pressed for the sake of harmony. And
the bomb that was TO have been thrown
at Cettinie, like the bomb that failed
TO kill the archduke and his wife, came
from the royal arsenal at Belgrade.
whence issued also the murderers OF
Alexander and his Queen. The Scrvian
government has done more than merely
tolerate attempts upon the lives OF
neighboring rulers. OF this there is
abundant proof, though it has not al
ways been made public.
Austria Hungary IS going to clean
out this nest Of assassins. which was
only yesterday put outside the pale OF
civilization by all the great powers of
Europe, regardless of their political
alignment. II Russia decides to pro-
claim her sympathy with this most
backward. most degraded of all the
Balkan states, then the responsibility
for the great war that may cnsue will
rest on her shoulders. And If she
conquers. Russia's ally, England. Will
be the first to feel her power in her
Indian frontier. But by no effort OF
logic can the responsibility for that
war be placed on the head Of the Dual
Monarchy.
Internal reforms are no doubt needed
in Austria Hungary. They are bound
10 come; they are already in process
Of realization. But their coming will
be retarded, not FASTENED, by Scrvian
assnssins and Cossacks OF the Don.
Not the future Of Austrian influence
IN the Balkans or the balance OF power
in Europe, but the civilization Of the
West against the barbarism Of Russia