The Washington times., 1921-03-20

been given by a very simple exchange
OF notes, for which latter the Austro-
Hungarian government had already
done the preliminary work.
The claims OF the Serbs must be
considered in the light that in the
very treaty which virtually ceded the
two provinces to Austria was con-
tanned the patent for their political
Independence.
This is the element to which Is
wolsky referred when he mentioned
the legal consideration involved.
for in his more rational moments IL
must have seemed a little presump-
tious to him even to have Serbia set
up claims in premises that were COW
cred in the very paragraphs that
made 1t an autonomous state. rs
But Iswolsky wanted to have
things his way, and by and by he
made great progress.
PHOTOGRAPHED BERLIN.
Showing which way the wind was
now blowing, Iswolsky telegraphed
to his representative at Berlin.
March 1926. 1909. a copy of a note he
had just received from. the French
ambassador. This read.
(M. Iswolsky to Sthe Russian charge
u dudlTcS ~ lCicBfaHi ootou
March 1925, 1909 No. 425.)
communicated by the French
embassy in st. Peterburg.
M. Pichon telegraphs:
.Radolin German ambassador at
Paris) has communicated to me the
decision reached by the Russian gov
ernment to accept Internationally the
abolishing OF Article 25. He asked
me il we were prepared to return to
an Austrian inquiry a similar answer.
He added that the German govern
ment regards the decision of the Rus
sian minister for foreign affairs as
ar important step toward the peace
full solution Of the crisis, and he be-
lieves that the proposed procedure
will most effectually support the
steps intended to be taken at Bel
grade. / replied that we did not hesi-
tate to declare that IL Austria SHOULD
request us to give our unconditional
assent, as Russia has done, we would
return an affirmative answer, but,
since this reply is due to our desire to
preserve the higher interests of gem
eral peace, we would earnestly beg
the Austrian government to make
this inquiry only after the negatia-
tons which are at present under way
at Vienna for the settlement of the
conflict with Serbia have proved un-
successful. So far as we are aware,
the draft Of the note to Serbia. which
was prepared by the Austrian minis
ter for foreign affairs, has been ac-
cepted by M. Iswolsky with, very
slight alterations. Therefore. only a
short postponement is demanded. and
we should be pleased to obtain this
from the Austrian govern
ment.'"
This exposition of the case by
Pichon killed Iswolsky's last chance
of having his war. He, therefore
ended the incident.
NO CHANCE FOR WAR.
Iswolsky saw finally that the
European governments were not will
ing to risk war for his fancied griev-
ances and Serbian audacity, and then
he was the first. as he had to be, 20
give his consent to the annexation of
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
What the situation was in Paris
is shown by the following remarkable
report in the light of what happened
The Russian ambassador at Paris
to M. Iswolsky. Report dated March
10, April /, 1909. No. %.
"The strike of the telegraphcrs,
quite apart from the disturbances OF
daily life in France, has also had ar
unfavorable influence
Upon the pending political negotia-
tions. .ts
II have received only one teie-
gram punctually, without number.
the draft OF your reply to
Ruelow's proposal / at once COM
the contents to the minis
ter for foreign affairs, but the whole
affair and the decision which IL was
necessary to reach were so important
that NJ. Pichon, who had received no
either from Berlin or
from st. Petersburg, could express no
definite opinion without previous
knowledge OF the details.
I'm spite of this. i at once tele-
graphed that NJ. Pichon was perfectly
Ia accordance with your views about
Buelow's proposal. After the tele-
grahpic communication had been re-
stored the whole question, under the
PRESSURE Of the German government.
rad assumed a direction which was
not to be altered"
The text Of the report Is inter-
rupted here for a moment to draw
attention to the fact that the Rus.
sian ambassador. without really know
ng what M. Pichon thought of Bue-
ow's proposal, telegraphed his chief