New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-10
JUGO-SLAVIA
By GORDON GORDON-SMITH

was one Of the chief reasons for which the
powers Of the Entente went TO war
1t will, therefore. be the duty of the pow
ers TO establish such guarantees as will as
sure Italy her naval and military supremacy
in the Adriatic without the necessity OF TAX
ing territorial guarantees. All that Italy
has to fear is the appearance in the Adriatlc
of a rival naval power. In other words, she
fears that the new Jugo-Slay state might
build navy and dispute her supremacy in
the Adratic. To any one who reasoned
calmly this seems a completely justified fear
Countries may train armies more or less in
secret, but the possession of feet cannot
be hidden 1t would be simple for the pow
crs to put in the charter creating the Jugo'
Slav state clause forbiddng it to construct
any warship larger than the gunboat or two
required to patrol the coasts to prevent
smuggling.
There is every prospect, and indeed it is
to be hoped, that the Jugo-Slav will develop
large sea-borne commerce and will create
the necessary merchant marine. But If the
islands and coast line of Dalmatia are in the
hands of Italy, where is she to recruit the
crews for her ships?
If Italy Asks Too Much
But there is yet another danger in any
excess OF Italian intransigesnce. II by hei
frontier delimitations she should hamper
and cripple the commercial expansion OF
Jugo-Slayia through the Adriatic she would
inevitably drive it in the direction Of Austrl.
and Germany No national or sentimental
considerations can ever outweigh the force
of economic conditions. The condition Of
Serbia in the last half century is striking
object lesson. As she had no outlet to scS
she was forced TO conduct all her foreign
trade through Austria-IIungary. Commercial
dependence on the side of Serbia at once
awoke political and territorial ambitions OF
the part OF Austria, ambitions which were on,
Of the chief causes of the present war. i
Is therefore the duty of Great Britain, France
and Russia 10 act as arbitcrs in the riya
claims Of Italy and Jugo-Slavia and TO sc'
that the rghtful claims and interests Of th'
Jugo-Slays are respected. As | have said
il should not pass the wit of man" to fine
an equitable solution. Our German enemies
have proyerb as wird NIGHT so heisi
gegessn vie gekocht wird" C"Things are no
eaten as hot as they are cooked'), and between
the claims of the extremists OF either side
a terrain d'entente can probably be found
1t must further be remembered that thu
o!aV peoples WHO VIII MAKE UP Tue HeN
state have been for centuries under thu
Austrian yoke, that their schools and uni
versities have been run by the Austrian gov
eminent and that the German language hat
been imposed upon them. The section re
| deemed from Austrian rule is therefore I
country in which Germany could very casil,
begin propaganda. II the Entente Power,
disregardcd their just claims there is M
doubt that Berlin and Vienna could at once
begin TO exploit to their advantage any cis
content that such injustice might cause. Il
fact, it is certain that Germany and Austri'
will leave no stone unturBcd TO try 10 pro
pitiate the new Jugo-Slav state. But ther'
is no doubt that the deep rooted hate o
everything German in the Jugo-Slavs vii
Illustrate all such attempts if the new state
is placed in such position of assured libert,
and Independence as will enable it 10 worl
out its own salvation.