The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-30

sea coast, servia's struggle against this
 economic pressure was very difficult
 But gradually she managed to escape,
 until at last Austria Hungary declared
 war on her. Servia was a hindrance
 which had to be removed. Unfortunately
 they succeeded at last. The united forces
 of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bull
 garia have held Servia for two years.
 ''New Servia in the future also must struggle against such an aggressive policy, and she hopes that she will find
 vigorous support in the United States.
 AUSTRIA AND SERVIA Austria Hungary since 1866 has been an instrument and vanguard of Germany for the realization of the foregoing plan. What Germany did on broad lines Austria Hungary did with Servia. Austria Hungary. especially since the congress of Berlin, wished tc possess Servia in order to form col ony there. At that congress Austria Hungary helped Servia to insure her independence, but as a compensation she occupied Bosnia and Herze egovina two provinces inhabited exclusively by people of our race, concluded with us 8 commercial treaty favorable to her and a military convention unfa- yorable to us, giving her the right to control our purely internal affairs. Since that time Servia has had to maintain a struggle, the magnitude of which the world will know after the war
 History will confirm the facts: q. That Servia is q thoroughly dem- ocratic country, the institutions of which are based On the broadest deni- ocratic principles In Austria Hungary, on the other hand, a handful of dy- nasts and gentry rule over people whose majority is neither German nor Hungarian.
 "2. That Servia wished to assert her full economic independence and that | Austria wanted the economic subju- gation of Servia
 8. That Servia strenuously advo- cated the principle the Balkans to the Balkan peoples and was an adver- sary of Austro- Hungarian intervention I in the Balkans-and that Austria Hun gary constantly intervened in the Bal I kan affairs, sowing discord between l Balkan peoples.
 A. That Servia always wanted for 1 her co-nationals in Austria Hungary conditions of free development, and that Austria Hungary acted in the contrary direction and by force. "5, That this war was imposed upon
  "6. That Servia always was on th3 defensive against German penetration and that Austria Hungary first tore up the Berlin treaty in 1908 anneXing Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, by virtue of that treaty, were only tenn porarily under her occupation.
 "7. That Servia during the last 40 years has concluded four treaties of friendship and defense with Bulgaria and two with G1sece. and that Austria Hungary always as an instrument of Germany frustrated all those treaties and even succeeded in bringing about wars between the Balkan peoples. How is it possible to reconcile Serbo- ro-Hungarian disputes in the future? Only if the principle or nationality and free national self government is to be taken as basis. If Austria Hungary is to remain as i she is then the future peace will only be an armistice. Austria-Hungary is at present experimentation of na- tionalities striving for independence and union-Ttalians, Bohemians ana Slovalls, Poles. Rumanians, Serbo- Croats and Slovenes. Those national ities are numerically superior to the Germans and Hungarians German, B. 00O. 900; Bulgarians, 10.000.00O, and S4,- 100000 of the subject races). In Aus l tria and Hungary. in spite or these numbers, the government is in the hands of German and Hungarian ar1s- tocrats and high officials. The subject lnationalities bear all burdens of tax ation and military service, but their participation in the government is so restricted that it Is practically nil.
 This is proved in this war which was provoked by the Austro-German and Hungarian artistocracy and gentry. It is the greatest mistake to believe that l Austria Hungary is national state and that it is possible to reorsanize her or. some liberal and federatitve basis"