The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-29
IN THE BALkANS.
Prophecy ~ 10 the Political Possibilities
OF unifcation or Race and Church.


To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-SG! This
establishment OF Roman Catholicism as
the state church in the kingdom OF Servis.
reported In THE Sun Of June IS, consti-
tutes n great forward step In the unihca-
tion OF the 100000 Serbs Croats OF Sla-
vonc race who dwell on the eastern shore
OF the Adriatlc Sea. Slightly more than
half OF these, or 4,650.000. are included In
tho enlarged kingdom OF servia. which has
now won inland Macedonia and the ban.
ate OF Novibazar from Turkey.
The little Kingdom of Montenegro,
southwest OF Servia on the Adriatlc Sea.
with 900, 900 Greek Orthodox inhabitants.
constitutes a second group - the Serbo-
Croatian race. a third group. 1,s93.oo0
strong, occupies the Austrian provinces OF
Bosnia and the Herzegovina west OF
Servis. Here IS per cent Of the population
are Mohammedans, including the landlord
class, whose forefathers apoststized to
Mohammedanism to save their estates
after the Turks had conquered Bosnia III
the fifteenth century. Forty-three per
cent. OF the population OF Bosnia are
Greek Orthodox, but as they are the most
backward element In Bosnia they are
pretty likely to be affected by the move
mept toward Rome In Servia.
The Roman Catholic element In BOSNIA
as yet only 20 per cent, seems destined
TO increase. Hitherto II has been the one
element in Bosnia contented under Aus
trials rule. But now both race and reli-
gion seem destined to draw the Roman
Catholic Bosniaks toward Servia.
fourth Serho- Croatan group occupies the
Austrian province of Dalmatia, on the
east coast OF the Adriatic Sea. Here the
population is almost wholly Serb and 81
per cent. Roman Catholic, and has agi-
tated In the past for the union OF all the
q. a,.sA N
Kingdom of 1llyria" Finally. northwest
OF Dalmatia and Bosnia. lies the Hun.
garian crownland of Croatia and Sia-
vonia. which may be termed Hungary's Ire
land. Croatia sends representatives to
the Hungarian Parliament at Budapest,
but enjoys a considerable degree of home
rule under its local provincial Diet, which
controls local government, religion, edu-
cation and Justice.
Despite this large measure OF autonomy
tho Croats are at feud with the Hun
garian Government Mt Budapest. since
they dream of restoring Croatia as an
Independent kingdom. and thus freeing
their country from the Hungarians. who
conquered Croatia at the end OF the
eleventh century. Croatia and Slavonis
have n population OF 2.sI9, 900 Slavs. OF
whom 20 per cent. are Roman Catholics.
The Croats In their struggle with the
ings OF sympathy and brotherhood for
the Serbs. who speak the same langua &c
as their own. and have declared that diff
ferences OF religion should be overlooked
between brother peoples But these diff
fcrences have ceased to exist now that
Servia has forsworn the Greek Catholic
faith and turned Roman Catholic.
Thus the conversion OF Servia to Ro-
man Catholicism has increased the posi-
hilifv nj a rd mn stn gntn a
kingdom OF Illyria in case there should
be break up of the Austro- Hungarian
monarchy. on the other hand n Roman
Catholic Servia becomes the natural satel-
lite OF Roman Catholic Austria Hungary.
In any struggle OF Servia against the
Greek Catholic kingdoms OF Greece. Bul-
garia or Rumania. Austria would now
probably support tho Serbs. for any ex-
panslon Of Austria-Hungary into the Bal
the present bitter race struggles In the
Austrian and Hungarian Diets. Hence
| Austria desires no Balkan conquests
The conversion OF Servia to Roman
Catholicism will Of course have nome ntous
religious consequences. The establishment
OF the Pope's spiritual supremacy in the
Lcvant insured by the success OF the Cru
| sades. but then blighted by their failure
and by the advance OF the Ottoman Turks,
seems destined to become at least par
TALLY n fact. The northern Aibanlans
submitted to Romc's spiritual supremacy
and became Roman Catholics in the thir-
tcenth century. Part OF the Armenian
Church became Roman Catholic in the
fifteenth century. In more modern times
| the Maronites of Mount Lebanon. 10000
out of 100000 HISTORIAN Christians. and
a few Of the Christian Copts OF Egypt
have acknowledged the supremacy OF the
Pope In religious matters. These. with
the descendants of Latin Crusaders In
Cyprus. the Greek archipelago. and the
Greek mainland. and the converts won by
Roman Catholic missionaries In Turkey,
form Roman Catholic element OF some
Importance In the Levant. The CONVEX
sion OF Servia to Roman Catholicism Is of
far more Importance since II means the
winning ot solid block of territory from
the Greek Catholic Church Should the
movement for union with Rome fail, as Il
failed in bulgaria during the '7Os. the
present Servian dynasty OF Karageorge-
Witch would be driven out and the Greek
Orthodox King Nicholas of Montenegro
would probably unite Servia and Monte
negro under the rule OF the house of
NleEus i. G. LEMcKE.
ORANor, y. j., June 81.