The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-08-01
ANCIENT FEUDS TO
BE FOUGHT OUT
Universal War VIII Decide Whether
Teuton or Slav will be Master
in Europe

in appearance is a quarrel between
the little Slavic State of Seryia and
the great Empire of Austria-Hun-
gary, in fact it is a quarrel OF long
standing between Austria AM all
the. slav nations, not excluding Rus
STA.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, or e Ser
Wan provinces, IN 1908 belon ED to
Turkey, although they were occupied
by Austrian troops and in every way
but on paper, were parts of the
Austrian empire. Austria had been
quietly planning to annex the two lit
tie Slavic provinces for some time,
bat could s.ot see her way clear to
do 1t withodf arousing strenuous pro-
test from the Powers. When the
Turkish constitutional revolution
took place in 1909 Austria saw her
opportunity and took advantage of
it. She maintained that because Bos-
MIA and Herzegovina under the new
Turkish rule would have to send del
egates to the Turkish Parliment, it
were better that Austria annex them,
which she promptly proceeded to do
in the face Of the protests of Russia,
France and Great Britain.
1t was maintained by the Powers
that Austr3a's act in annexing the
Slavic provinces was a violation Of
the agreement made at the gener-
al European Congress WHICH met at
Berlin shortly after the Russo-Turk
ish war. Austria remained firm,
however, and when the Powers be-
Austria aid. Germany was pre-
pared for war as was Austria. Great
Britain, France and Russia were not
prepared fer war, and with both
Austria and Germany facing them,
they we're compelled to submit to
Austria's seizure of Bosnia and Her
zegovina and accept their humiliat
ing defeat with as good grace as pos
s:bIe.
What Russia could not do by force
of arms she then proceeded to do by
intrigue and diplomacy. Secret
agents were sent into all of the Bal
kan states and into those provinces
OF Austria and Germany populated
thickly with Slavs. Ever since that
time a constant campaign to arouse
the Austrian AMI German Slavs has
been maintained by Russian secret
agents
Dissatisfaction and revolution was
fermented among the Slavs of Aus
tria by Russian agents, and it is even
said that Russian secret agents aided
in the formation of the Slavonic So
cieties in Austria and Germany the
the Slavic provinces now under Teu-
tonic rule and the formation of a
! great Slavic empire, for which the
! Balkan League was to be the founda-
ton. Russian diplomacy brought
about the alliance of the Balkan ma
ttons for the war with Turkey, in
which war little Servia greatly dis
| tinguished herself
The fine hand of the Austrian for
efgn Office was seen in the Balkan
pie, however, soon after the defeat
of Turkey Both Austria and Ger
many had confidently expected to see
| Turkey the victor, and it is said the
Teutonic diplomats were sadly disap-
pointed at the outcome. Austria bus
led herself Immediately, and by the
exercise of either a finer or more
subtle brand of diplomacy than that
exercised by Russia, succeeded in
convincing the powers that Albania
which had been taken possession OF
by the 1Servians should be made an
Independent kingdom, but in reali-
ty under Austrian and German dom
nation. Consequently the Serbs
were relieved of part of the fruits OF
victory and German prince, Will
lam Of Wied, was installed as King
of Albania with the consent of the
powers in the face of the diplomatic
opposition of Russia Unable to he'll
! themselves the Servians and the Bal
kan nations were compelled to ac
quiesce.
In the Balkan League. however
the triple alliance, composed of Aus
\ tria, Germany and Italy, found /
valuable adjunct of the Opposing
powers, the triple entente, compos
ed of Russia, Great Britain ans
France, since the Balkan League hat
been the outcome of Russian diplo
macy.
Austria then set about to smash u
the Balkan alliance. The result O
this wa> the second Balkan War, i
which Servia and Greece with Monte