Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-19
Austria's Door to the Sea


On the political side the problem is even
more complex To cede the whole OF the
Austrian Tyrol south of the crest of the
Alps will be an unmportant sacrifice for
Austria, a price she could we'll afford to
pay for Italian neutrality. But to part with
Trieste, Fiume and the Istrian littoral-
this is to sign her own death warrant, for it
would deprive the Austro- Hungarian Empire
of a door on the sea.
What would follow such a Cession has
long been recognized. Today Russia holds
most of Galicia. Bukovina and Transyl-
vania have been marked by Rumana as
her share in the Austrian estate Bosnia,
Herzegovina and Dalmatia will go to Servia
If the Allies win. The Austro- Hungarian
Empire will then be an unnatural combina-
tion of two fragments ruled by races eco
nomically, politically, socially distinct,
In such a situation Hungary is almost
certain to seek her independence again. As
for the balance of Austria, its destiny leads
to Berlin. Deprived of an exit on the sea, 1t
must seek an outlet through German ports
and follow Bavaria into the German En-
pre, thus adding 2O,0oOOOO to the population
of the Hohen2olen realm,
Menace of New German Empire
For Italy such change would be fraught
with instant peril The s5OOO,OOO inhabitants
of the new German Empire would look with
natural impatience upon the thin strip of
Italian territory separating them from the
southern sea. Prince Won Buelow himself is
reported 20 have described Trieste as a Ger
man lung.
Quite in the same fashion the destruction
of Austria would drive Croatia and Slavonia
into the new Serb State and thus erect on the
,Ft 1r{a to Ia.
State bound to be rival of Italy sure to
seek to regain the Adriatic islands, held by
Italy and obstructing the Slav window on the
Adratic. Such a State would, too have the
support of Russia, also become Mediter-
ranean State by the occupation of Constant-
nople and the straits In Northen Albania
the Italians and the Slavs would clash as
Greeks and Italians have in the south, and
Italy might find herself faced by a hostile
Balkan confederacy as we'll as an ambitious
Germany.
Briefly. then, 10 obtain small territorial
increases Italy risks, almost lnsures, the
destruction of the Austro- Hungarian EN-
pire She would gain perhaps 100000 popu-
lation. she would bring down to her own bor-
der new German Empire. In addition, by
enslaving some thousands OF Slavs she would
insure the unihcation OF all the southern
SlaNS IN a pOWeIlul anu nObllle state, certain
Of the patronage and protection of Russia
AS to Austria Hungary. she cannot cede
Trieste, Flume or the Istrian peninsula For
her the question is one Of life and death For
Austria Trieste is vital. Fiume is Hungary's
only seaport. The Trentino she can cede,
the islands OF the Adrlatic conceivably but
more she cannot give and exist and she will
naturally choose to perish fighting. And
against Italy Hungarians and Savs, as well
as Austrian Germans, win fight Loyalty.
Conceivably Italy has asked more than she
will take But all signs point in the other
direction. So far as It is possible 10 see, what
Italy has asked she can take by force OF
arms The only actual restraint must flow
from a recognition of the eventual conse-
quences OF too great greed now. This nations
seldom consider when they can make imme-
date profits.
The passing Of Turkey has long been dis
counted. Early in the Great War It began
10 appear that Austrian existence was in
peril Day by day fate seems to have turned
more and more against Franz Josef. stricken
in years ana carrying the burden Of un-
parailsled personal es vel Is national dis