Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-28

however with Austria in seeking to
crush the aspirations of the Czechs or
Bohemians. Bohemia was closer to
Germany. and the growth of a Bo-
hemian nationality, with its inherent
antagontsm to the German language
and German autocracy, was as much
danger to Germany as to Austria.
The German autocracy also was SYM
pathetic to Austria's efforts to throttle
the Slovak aspirations and the hopes
OF the Jugo-Slavs. For this reason
German diplomacy heartily supported
Austrian diplomacy when. in violation
OF the Berlin treaty. Austria annexed
Bosnia and Herzegovina, with their
large Slav population.
Having been forced to play a minor
role with Germany Austrian diplomacy
played it consistently in the events
leading up to the great war. History
some day may disclose how much of
a puppet Austria was in utilizing the
assassination of the heir of the house
of Hapsburg as a pretext for declaring
war against Serbia. though as to
Serbia itself allowance must be made
for the hatred. the Hungarians bear
their neighbor. and consequently for
the Magyar influence at Vienna. Hun
gary probably did not want a world
war, and assuredly did not want Ger
many's power extended. but the
Magyar's hatred of the Serbians and
all the Jugo-Slavs. and the unwilling
ness of Hungary to concede to those
within her borders the same rights
that she herself demanded from Aus
tria, undoubtedly had effect in Vienna
when the demands were made which
it was known would result in hostili-
ties.
The yelled disclosures which from
time to time have come from London.
and the pronouncements in parliament
that England was not seeking to par
tition the Austrian empire. gave
ground for the belief that Austrian
diplomacy was at work to secure
peace. Count CZerninS efforts to involve
the United States in premature nego-
tiationS We're a confirmation of this
belief, but the full disclosure came
from Paris when Clemenceau. with
none of the refinements to which Aus
trian diplomacy was accustomed. said
that Austria lied when her statesmen
asserted that France had sought
settlement over Alsace-Loraine.
The whole episode is fresh in the pub
lie mind. together with the sequel in
which the German kaiser assured the
Austrian kaiser that he was satisfied,
etc. But no one supposes for an in
slant that Germany really is satisfied.
In consequence of the incident, Aus
trian diplomacy has had its task great
ly complicated.
1t would be futile to predict at the
present Time lnaL whenever ,pedc6f
negotiations begin at Bern or Copen-
hagen, or whatever neutral capital
may be selected, there will emerge an
Austrian diplomat who will do for the
remnants of Austria what Metternich
did at the congress of Vienna in align
ing the European powers on her side.
For one thing. no matter if the Ger
man war lords are temporarily in the
saddle, it will not be possible to base
an Austrian diplomatic policy on alb
solutism. The supreme task will be
to resist German absolutism.
The mid-Europe economic and politi-
cal scheme of the Germans will be
Austria's greatest menace. If she con-
tinues in her present state of vassal-
against this scheme. however sound
and persuasive they may be. will go
for naught. Germany does not argue
with her vassels, merely because nomi-
nally they are allies. She imposes her
will, and it is her will of today which
directs Austria's course.
1t may be that some Austrian states
man. possessing none of the qualities
of Metternich. will emerge from the
chaos and write a new chapter of Aus
trian diplomacy based on the popular
will and democratic institutions. There
have been hints that this is possible.
and those who credited Count Czernin
with good faith thought that this ap-
peal to possible democratic spirit in
Austria was back of his peace efforts.
If such spirit does exist and is capa-
BILE of being evoked, 1t is now evident
that the statesman who evokes it will
not be Count Czernin, nor does it seem
likely to be his successor. Baron Blu
rian. Yet something of this sort is
absorption by Prussia