Evening star., 1926-12-10
PACH|TCH, SERBIAN
EX-PREM|ER, DEAD
Long, Tempestuous Political
Career Ends on Eve of
Return to Power.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
BELGRADE, Jugoslavia. December
10.-Nikola P. Pachitch, former pre-
mier and minister of foreign affairs,
died today.
NJ. Pachitch had been in i'll health
for months. He would have been 81
years old December 10.
He continued active. however, dur
ing the latest political crisis in Jugo-
slavia growing out of the signing
recently by Italy and Albania of a
pact which has been considered by
the people generally as detrimental to
the interests of Jugoslavia.
1t appeared certain that he would
form a new ministry to take the place
of that Of Premier Ouzounovitch.
which resigned eeveral days ago in
consequence Of the Italo-Albanian
treaty.
NJ. Pachitch died from apoplexy,
which is believed to have been
brought on by intense excitement, be-
cause Of the crisis centering in the
1talian-Albanian treaty, in addition to
a political scandal in which his son
is the storm center.
Had Tcmpestuous Career.
Pachitch at the time Of his election
to the National Assembly of Jugo-
slavia was a Serbian statesman with
a long and tempestuous political ca
reer.
He was born in 184S and educated
at the Polytechnic School in Zurich,
Switzerland. His public life was
punctuated with two death sentences
and several exiles, as result of
which he became an extreme radical.
AT the time of hts death, however,
Pachitch was known as one Of the
most conservative statesman in the
Balkans.
He was, successfully, mayor of Bel
grade, president of the Skupshtina,
mead of the first radical cabinet and
Minister to Russia when, in 1899. the
attempt was made to assassinate King
Milan in the streets of the Serbian
capital. Pachitch was placed on trial
and sentenced to prison, but afterward
pardoned.
In 1902 King Alexander asked him
to form a ministry. but he failed. After
the assassination Of Alexander and his
consort. Queen Draga. Pachitch be-
came minister of foreign affairs in
the Gruitch cabinet. Subsequently he
was also premier during the reign of
NAA'S WI diiu OCCuDlSu lTIS
when the World War broke out.
Led Country Through Crisis.
In 1908 the annexation of Bosnia
and Herzegovina by Austria Hungary
and the revolution In Turkey brought
about an acute crisis. The whole
nation ciamored for war with Austria
Hungary to bring about the realiza-
-
Is. the union In single empire of
Serbia. Bosnia. Herzegovina, Monte.
negro and the Sanjak of Novibazar,
including northwestern Macedonia.
Pachitch induced Serbia to abandon
her claim to territorial "compensa-
tlon' and leave the Balkan question
Tor solution by the powers.
During the World War he was a
frequent visitor to Paris, where he
represented Serbia at the interallied
conference.
On January II, 1919, he resigned the
premiership.
Less than two years after his with
drawal from the government he was
again called upon to form cabinet,
which he succeeded in doing. 1t was
In this government that he undertook
the portfolio of minister of foreign
Eight months later he submitted an
other resignation. but was requested
to continue in Office and form a new
cabinet. He relinquished the portfolio
of foreign minister and retained the
premiership.
Opposed CrOatian Republic.
The premier's opposition to the
formation of Crotian republic
within the monarchy of JugOslavia,
together with his loss of control over
the Belgrade Parliament, however,
forced him from office in December.
1922. The downfall of his government
on this occasion was said to have
been due to NJ. Raditch. a Croatian
bookseller, who controlled bloc of
so peasants holding the balance of
power.
1t was Pachitch. premier a dozen
times and cabinet minister probably
80, who received in 1914 the fateful
Austrian ultimatum which precipitat-
ed the World War.
He was also at the helm in the
Winter Of 1923-1924. when a crisis
arose over the disposition Of Fiume,
the fate of which had not been
definitely settled by the treaty of
Rapallo Restraining the hotheads who
demanded forceful action, Pachitch
negotiated an agreement by which
Fiume went to Italy and Baros to
Jugoslavia.
His last cabinet was that which
resigned in April Of this year to be
succeeded by the OuzOunovitch gov
ernment.