Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-07-31
A YEAR OF WAR
THE END NOT YET.
Preparations Under Way for Next
Years Campaign il Europe.

year ago. Tuesday, July 2S, Aus
tria began the bombardment of the
Serbian capital OF Belgrade. the first
overt act OF hostility in awar that in
volved all the great nations of Eu-
rope and that has cast its shadow upon
the whole civilized world.
The attack upon Belgrade followed
in less than twelve hours a formal
declaration OF war from Serbia's re-
fusal OF accede to an ultimate demand
that would have practically extin
guished her national independence.
Upon the same day Russia, as the big
brother of the Balkan state, and Ger
many, as an ally of Austria. began mo-
bilization. These acts were but the
prelude to the war.
The people of Austria apparently
though that the monarchy was merely
undertaking a punitive expedition
gainst a troublesome little neighbor.
The world, to an extent. shared this
belief and was hopeful that the gen
eral European confagration that had
been so often threatened and so often
ayerted might still be avoided. The
diplomatic correspondence that has
since been made public in the official
reports of the different nations shows
how slim almost from the first were
the chances for a peaceful settlement
Germany had warned all the Euro
pean Powers not to interfere with
Austria in her purpose of Furnishing
Serbia. Russia remained ominously ST.
lent and Great Britain. through her
Foreign Minister, Sir Edward Grey.
suggested a meeting in London to dis
Gus menas of averting the threaten
| ing disaster Germany refused the
suggestion, and Austria answered by
her advance upon Serbia. Within the
sion events of worldwide Importance,
events fraught with significance TO the
great nations of civilization, but which
piled up with such bewildering rapid
| ity as to obscure all but the most mo
mentous On July 81 the German En-
pire was declared in state of war and
on the following day the formal decla-
ration of hostilities was issued against
Russia. The war had truly begun.
How the great German army swung
into the Duchy of Luxenburg on Au-
gust / and then on the next day APP
peared before Liege, marking the pre-
liminary step in the violation of Bel
gian territory, is already history.
Then follow ed the French declaration
of war on August 3, and few days
later the announcement that Great
Britain was to join France and Rus
sia. Then the confiagration spread to
the Orient, involving Japan, and final
ly backiiered to Turkey and Italy, until
the spark struck by Austria at Bel
grade had set ablaze the world.
After a year of war that has cost
more than q million of lives and bill
lions of treasure. peace seems no
nearer than it was year ago. Today
Teuton and Russian are fighting fierce
ly around Warsaw; the French and
English are striving to hold their po-
sitions along the French and Belgian
borders; the Italians are slowly ad-
yancing their lines over the southAus-
trian frontier, and the Turks and the
Anglo French invaders are contesting
foot by foot the rocky Gallipoli pen
insula. Decisive victory seems TO rest
with none.
But Serbia, the smallest of the com
batants, and the first to feel the brunt
of the war, has been almost lost sight
of in the crowd of events swiftly sue
ceeding the attack upon her capital.
The Austrian punitive expedition cap
tured Belgrade and swept on into the
heart of the country. Then a strange
thing happened. The Serbians took on
new life; they turned upon the invad-
ers, drove them from their capital,
captured hundreds of guns and co.
600 prisoners. Within two weeks Ser
bia had freed her soil of the foe and
he has not returned.
Italian diplomacy and Russian peril
on Austrias eastern border were
perhaps more potent than her own
strength in effecting this result, but.
nevertheless this mite among the bat
tling nations stands as the only vic
tory in the great struggle. Wheat fate
may yet be in store for her, who can
tell? The war is not yet ended. The
giants are already preparing for next
winters campaign.--New York Sun.