New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

status. which maintained the Sultans nominal
sovereignty over them, while the whole power and
the responsibilities Of sovereignty belonged to
Austria-Hungary. From the standpoint Of inlor-
national law the annexation was certainly not
exceptionable.
Turkey. whose nominal rights were set aside,
had right to protest, and so had the signatory
powers of the Berlin treaty, but Servia had abso-
lutely no voice in the matter No right OF hers
was invaded, no legitimate interest Of hers I'M
paired only mad pretensions were thwarted and
unfair opportunities lesseuod still, IL was Ser
via whose outcries, echoed by Russia, endangered
the peace of Europe. Everybody knows how that
first outbreak ended Russia, Servias patron
and inspirer, recoiled at that time from the con-
Aict with Germany which aggression against Aus
tria-Hungry would have implied. So Servia had
to declare herself disinterested in the arrange
ments concerning Bosnia and willing properly to
fulfil toward Australia hungary the duties Of good
neghborshp. Il was largely due TO the cxertions
Of the Hungarian government TO which belonged
at that time, that us.ria-Hungary accepted these
verbal apologies and pledges. and chat peace, or
rather the semblance OF peace was preserved for
some wears more ! now almost regret this de-
cision of ours. Had Serviae imru.ca- behavior
been chastsed then as t deserved TO be the
present general confic, might tayc been averted.
On the other hand, Austra-i-un-asy would not
have shown that almost supcrhuman forbearance.
in which lies her clearest vndicaUon. Anyhow.
it is important to bear in mind that Seryia's
pretensions and designs brought matters to n
crisis six years ago, and ,hat she escaped pun
ishment only through a solemn promise Of correct
behavior.
How was that promise kept? BY doing worse
from year to year. by developing with more
energy still the propaganda Of high treason
among Austria and Hungarys South Slavonic cti-
zens. Still more since the results Of such merely
political work ripened too slowly, the pace was
mended by setting up an additional organization
for political assassination, headed by military
and non-military officials Of the Servian Kingdom.
The thing would seem almost incredible but for
the fact that the present Servian Kings rule Is
based on murder and that murderers are, were
among his chief advisers. A government boast
ing of an origin like this must be expected to
take a lenient view of political assassination. The
matter was brought to light by Archduke Franz
Ferdinand's assassination. This dreadful crime,
as has been established by the judicial inquiry,
was not the work of a single fanatic. 1t was the
carefully prepared result Of widespread con-
spiracy centred in a great Servian national or
eanization, the "Narodna Obrana," whose chair
man is a general in active service and whose
rules contain a paragraph Of dark meaning, bid
ding young men TO prepare for "some big deed
on behalf Of the national cause" Well, Archduke
Franz Ferdinand's murderers, all of them afiliat-
ed with the aforesaid organization. were prepared
for the "big deed" and they performed it success
fully. All the implements for the murder