New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-23
The Final Indictment of leusonic
Diplomacy.

the final crushing indictment OF H04 MOI
acknowledgements diplomacy. In the
actual conduct Of war the two CehVral
European empires have displayed unusual
,ioor and energy. Germany outclasseo a.
+bs other oombatsnts In military prepared
ness. But in political forethought, IN olp-
Iomatic strategy, IN the nice international
adjustments which ought 20 preceoe
world war. Germany and Austria Hungary
have failed tragically. They have failed
because they have tried 20 make buster
ord n,enaces do the work which ought 70
have been done by a policy Of foresight
and conciliation.
Bismarck left TO his successors the
c,rast inheritance Of the Triple Alliance
No other combination in Europe equaIIed
il IN strength. and the only task set 1or
German and Austro-Hungarian diploma
lists was 10 keep It intact through a Ju-
d;c,ous harmonization of the interests OF
80 three signatories. But Berlin ana
Vienna plaved fast and loose with BIS
,osrck's achievement. They allowed a
rival alliance 70 take form and consoll-
date Worse than that, they recklessly
sousndered their own capital, so that
when the great European crisis came
thew had not only 10 fight France, Russia
and Great Britain, but 20 face a break N
their own combination through the seces-
sion Of Italy. Italy was detached from
the Triple Alliance and driven into the
ranks of the enemy solely by the dlplo-
matte blunders Of Austria-Hungary and
Germany.
The treaty Of alliance between Italy
and Austria-Hungary, the Green Book
shows. contained an article-Article VII
which bound each power to consider the
interests Of the other in any political re
adjustments in the Balkans. When italy
went 70 war with Turkey, Austria-Hun-
gary. then ardently hoping TO secure a
right Of way through Turkey TO the
Eqeen Sea. invoked that article in order
n restrain Italy from attacking the Oar
daneues and Salonica. The scope OF the
1taIo-Turkish War was thus limited to
Africa and the islands off the coast OF
Asia Minor.
When the success Of the Balkan ALI
ance against Turkey seemed to close the
way 70 Salonica, Austria-Hungary melted
Bulgaria TO attack Serbia. Bulgaria was
beaten. Vienna then decided TO make war
on Serbia, but Italy's refusal to give
Austria-Hungary free hand led Ger
many TO counsel against step when
would inevitably shatter the Triple
Alliance.
That was in August, 1913. Enraged
nv this setback 10 her designs in the Bal
kans. Austria-Hungary bided her time
When the assassination of the Archduke
Francis Ferdinand at Sarajevo last June
gave her another opportunity TO strike al
Serbia she absolutely ignored her treaty
Obligations 70 consult Italy and launched
a declaration of war, relying solely on the
support Of Germany.
italy naturally declined 70 engage in
n war which her allies had started with
out her knowledge or approval. But she
did not denounce the Triple Alliance
treaties. still depending on her agreement
with Austria Hungary 70 protect Italian
interests in the Balkans.
In December last, when the Austro-
Hungarian armies overran the northern
mart OF Serbia and il looked as If Serblas
defence had collapsed, Italy called the
attention Of the Austro-Hungarian gov
ernment 10 Article VIII and demanded
guarantees Of compensation in case Ser
bian territory should be occupied. Out OF
that demand came the tedious negotia-
tions, supervised by Prince Won Bulow,
for cessions Of Austro-Hungarian terri
tory 70 Italy.
These were doomed In advance 10 come
TO nothing. for Austria-Hungary had not
yet reached the point of military exhaus-
ton at which such CALLING sacrifices as
Italy desired were toerable. Under Ger
man patronage and protection Vienna has
long played for big stakes. She annexed
Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus breaking
the Treaty Of Berlin. She was willing 10
make war in 1913 on Serbia. Rumania
and Greece in order 20 upset the Treaty
Of Bucharest. She forced war on Serbia
last summer in the full knowledge that
practically all Europe would sooner or
later be drawn into the conflict, She in
vited Italy's enmity and then refused 70
buy Italy's neutrality by territorial con
cessions She lef; nothing undone 10
wreck the alliance upon which the impos-