Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-18
Sarajcvo Again.

q landslide near Sarajevo, Bosnia
which caused the death Of eighty per
sons in railroad train, revives memo
ries of 1914. 1t was at that place in
the Balkans that the shots were fired
that caused the Great War. The as
sassination of the Crown Prince OF
Austria Hungary and his wife at Sara.
ievo on the 2Sth of June, 1914, was
the spark which kindled the greatest
conflict the world has ever known.
Prior to the shooting Of Archduke
Francis Ferdinand and his wife, the
Countess Of Hohenberg, the Western
world knew little or nothing about
that city, the capital of Bosnia. 1t was
on the map, of course, and some Of
those who studied ALIASES perhaps
came of the dual k;n..1g. But few re-
called that Bosnia was an "expatri-
ated' land and that its taking over
by Austria Hungary was one Of the
factors in that always dangerous sit
uation known as the Balkan com.
pick" To those familiar with the re-
lationships in the Balkans and par
ticularly the relationships between
Austria Hungary. Russia and the
Balkan states, this crime became at
once sinister sign of grave events
to come.
The shooting of the royal pair oc-
Cured, as stated, on the 2sth of June.
There was a period of comparative
quiet, during which the world at large
heard little of the doings of those who
held the fate of Europe in their
hands. A court martial assembled at
garatevo and examined Gavrio Prinzip.
the actual assassin, and twenty-oTie
others, alleged to be fellow conspira-
tors. There prevailed, as one historian
of the war has said, an "ominous
calm
Then on the 23rd of July came the
thunderbolt, the ultimatum OF Aus
tria. Hungary to Serbia. demanding
a satisfactory answer within forty
eight hours. This dispatch to Belgrade
was practically indictment of the
Serbian nation for completely before
The crime. Serbia could not yield with,
out confessing that completely, could
not compromise for the demand was
specific, could not gain delay for the
uItimatum expired even while It's
farms were being studied at not only
Belgrade but in other capitals.
Just twelve years ago today, there
fore, there was prevailing In Europe,
in fact throughout the world, feel
ing of painful suspense. A general
war, such as had been often predicted
as a result of the complexities of Eu.
ropean national relations. was felt to.
be in the making. Just how the ma
tions would align was uncertain. Rus
STA would almost surely be drawn In,
through her interest in the Balkans.
peopled largely by Slavs. Germany
must come in to the aid of Austria.
France must come in to the aid of
Russia, her ally. Would England be
involved? Would Belgium be invaded
In the event Of an aggressive stroke
by Germany? Where would Italy, a
member of the triple alliance with
Germany and Austria, stand in the
melee?
Such was the confusion of the pub
lie mind during those days Of rela-
tive calm following the assassination.
Americans travelling in Europe were
undecided as to their programs. The
shrewd ones who could do so hurried
home in advance. of the storm. Others,
having heard much talk of general
war in other years. without result,
took their chances and remained to
complete their scheduled journeys,
50 soon to be rudely interrupted.
1T seems odd that Sarajevo should
bob up again in the dispatches just
at this time, almost on the twelfth an.
niversary of the war.breeding crime,
with tragedy costing eighty lives.
The tragedy Of. 1914 enacted there
cost many millions.