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

them quarrel with other nationalities in Austria Hungary and to play one against the other, thus spending their force in futile discussions and losing valuable time for material and spirit ual developments; (d) not only spiritual but even economic intercourse between the Servians in Servia and Montene- gro and those in Austria Hungary has been hindered in all possible ways. STRATEGIC BASIS
 What is the strategic basis of these claims?
 "The wish of Serva is that the peace after this war should be not merely an armistice, but a lasting peace based or principles of justice and the rights and liberties of nations. Accordingly the hope of Servia is that this great wal will end in such a manner that there will be no necessity for strategic frontiers in the present sense of the word; that the best strategic basis for the future frontiers of our united people will be in the consciousness of a compact nation, and of it's right of free existence and independent development in their re- spect of the right and legitimate espira tions of all other peoples, and in the community of states fighting against mlitarism. If, in spite of all that, strate-
  rience shows that Servia must insure herself on the north and west against Germany and Hungary, and on the east against Bulgaria.
 ''What are the minimum concessions which Servia expects?
 "She does not desire to annex other states. All her policy and even her mili- tary conventions with Balkan countries during the last 56 years have been only of a defensive character. The war of | 1914 was imposed upon her by Austria Hungary and Germany. Count TisZa, the former prime minister of Hungary, has admitted that the monarchy was com pelled to declare war on Servia. He said that it was defensive war. This ap- pears to be rather extraordinary in view Of the fact that Austria Hungary has | more soldiers than Servia has inhabit- ants. Therefore, for us there is nc minimum nor maximum of concessions We want the union of our race in one Independent territory, on the pure prin- ciple of nationality and national self government. However much Germans Austrians, Hungarians and Bulgarians want to annex the territories of others we Servians do not want that. How do Servia's claims conflict with those of Italy?
 l "The Adriatic. is a subject of discus | Sltu pclWCCi lLc I Cpi cSGildtlfCS VI puu- l lie opinion of our people and those oi Italy. The Italians allege that the | Adriatic is an Italian sea and that all l it's eastern coast from Trieste to Val Iona should be Italian. The Servian opinion is that the Adriatic should be l free and that the eastern Adriatic coast from Trieste nearly to Durazzo, with nearly all the islands, should be ours 1 The Italian press adduce the following ] fnr fhaip cla
 "(a) The historical right of the old
 Romans and Venetians.
 "(b) Geographical and strategic neces- sities for the defense of Italy's present | eastern coast, and the lack of a good
 harbor on the present eastern coast. l< "(c) Economical needs-the econonl- | ical penetration of the Balkans which is thoroughly agricultural and the need of better communication with Asia '(d) The creation of strong barrier against German penetration into the
 Mediterranean.
 SERVIA'S CLAIM The Servian press supports the Ser vian claims by the following req sons:
 (a) Freedom of the Adriatic sea as the international principal which ought to be the basis for future arrangements between these two states.
 (b) The eastern coast of the Adriatic | is inhabitated by compact masses of our people, and the same is true of the islands.
 Co Our people on that coast and everywhere are amicably disposed to- wards the Italians but only so long as they do not coyet the territories in-
 habited by our people The makers of
 Italian unitly, Cavour. Garibaldi. Mag