New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-26

Salonica. October 25.-"The Jugo-Slayic
question was the starting point Of the pres
ent war, and Europe can know no permanent
peace until it is equtably settled
Such was the phrase in which an eminent
Balkan statesman summed up to me the stu
alton of the Balkan nations. Many people
NAV object to the present discussion Of such
claims. maintaining that they belong to the
latter war period" and that the first duty
of the Allies is to win OUT and then tackle
the settlement Of such questions
This is mistake. because the political
education of peoples not to say of govern.
ments) is a slow affair, while the results OF
war are apt TO bring us suddenly face to lace
with fats accomplis which make 1t necessary
20 take an immediate decision. II the pollt-
zeal education of the peoples has not been
attended to meanwhile. they are unable TO
grasp the factors of the problems placed be-
fore them and may, in consequence, take some
hastv and ill-advised decision such as would
only omen the door TO further conflict. The
sincere desire of every man fighting on the
side of the Allies is that the first and greatest
result of the present world war shall be a
lasting peace based on the eternal principles
Of liberty and justice. The problems which the
victory Of the Allies will open up are, how
ever, so vast and complicated that the task OF
sorting them out and obtaining thorough
realization Of all the factors composing them
cannot be begun too soon. If the govern
ments of the Entente enter into congress with
a clear comprehension OF the various ques-
tons they are called upon TO solve, the chance
of wrong solutions being made will be dimin-
ished 20 an ncalculable degree.
Al 1. - q efN
years has proved TO demonstration is the
futility Of diplomatic agreements which are
not based on the bedrock principles Of ma
,ional aspirations The Treaty of Frankfort
and the Treaty Of Berlin are both examples
Of the use.essnes, Of paper guarantees. No
Frenchman in his heart ever homoogated he
cession Of Asace-Lorraine. wrung from
France at the point Of the bsyonet, while the
accumulated errors OF the Treaty of Berlin
make u unique as an example OF how
treaty should not be made All It's artificial
divisions and paper guarantees had even be-
fore the present war one by one been swept
away. and the diplomatic mosaic so labori-
ously constructed by European statesmen
was shattered by the elemental forces Of
racial and national aspirations. IL IS 10 pre-
vent repetition Of these mistakes that il is
necessary without delay TO begin the political
education Of the nations at large in regard
TO the problems they will be called upon 70
solve.
One Of the most important and pressing Of
these is the question of the future OF the
Jugo-Slavs. The Jugo-Slav question may not
have been the cause Of the present war; the
roots Of that world conflict probably lie
deeper, but IL certainly the causa eau
sans II was the spark that fired the Euro
pesn powder magazine. But il there had not
been An immense accumulation Of explosive
material in Jugo-Slsvia the spark could not
have brought about the present European up
heaval. II is equally certain that Europe wifi