Evening star., 1934-10-10
WAR THREAT SEEN
ASSASSINATION
Fact That Croat Was Killer
of King, However, May
Stave Off Conflict.

Famous as the former editor OF
the London Times and OF the Lon
don RepietD of ReUtetDs, Wtckhdm
Steed has long been recognized as
an authority on the affairs OF Gen.
trail Europe. At the Paris Peace
Conference, his counsel ,Dds in
strumentdl In the determination of
the boundaries of Yugoslavid. At
present he is lecturer on Central
European history at Kings College,
London.
BY wICKHAM sTEED.
BY Cable to The Star.
LONDON, October 10.-The tragic
end of King Alexander of Yugoslavia
at the hands Of a Croat assassin
comes as a terrible complication into
the Central and Southeastern Euro
pean situation, already complicated
and delicate beyond measure
Inevitably. ones mind goes back to
June %, 1914, when the Austro-Hun-
garian heir apparent, Archduke
Francis Ferdinand, and his consort
were shot down by Bosnian and Serb
conspirators at Sarajevo. The World
War ensued. Exactly a month after
this crime, Alexander Karageorge-
witch, then prince regent and CON-
mander of the Serbian forces, had to
face an Austro-Hungarian declaration
of war upon his country.
If the first reports, that the aSsas-
sin is a Croat in exile, are confirmed
and they seem inherently probable
the present tragedy may have a
less momentous international sequel
than that which followed upon the
Sara jevo drama.
Foreign Intrigues Possible.
The ancient feud between the two
main branches Of the southern Slavic
race-a feud embittered by the late
Kings high-handed methods of gov
ernment-may have found bloody ex-
preston without entailing interna-
tional hostilities. Yet it is premature
to assume that the repercussionS even
of a southern Slav domestic quarre
will not affect the international situ-
alton. There have been too many
foreign intrigues among the Croats
and Slovenes in recent years for the
possibility of serious developments tC
be ruled out, and there is no guaran-
tee that all foreign governments viii
keep their fingers out of this terri
BILE pie.
Alexander Karageorgevitch, whom
knew quite well during the war, was
soldier first and foremost. OF his gal
lantry and steadfastneSs under the
severest ordeal which modern prince
ever had to undergo, recent history
speaks with a convincing voice. Po-
ltically, he was less gifted.
Lost Confidence of Croats.
Though he made the ideal of Yugo-
slav unity his own and proclaimed il
publicly during an official visit to Lon
don in 1916, he yielded later to the
great Serbian" influence of the vet
eran Premier Pashitch, who compro-
missed him in such fashion that he
became virtually a prisoner Of the
Serbian military organization known
as the white Hand" Partly fol
this reason. Alexander failed to wir
the full confidence Of the Croat, ol
principal Roman Catholic branch Of
the Southern Slav race, whose leaders
attribute to him, personally, some
share of the responsibility for the
shooting of the Croat peasant leader
Stefan Radich. in the Belgrade Par
lament some years ago.
In January, 1929, Alexander took
the fatal step of establishing a per-
sonal dictatorship, under which he in
stalled a mainly Serbian military gov
eminent. This government and its
successors treated Croatia as an occu-
pied province, set up a stringent police
rule. interned or imprisoned the Croat
leader. Matchek. and dealt hardly less
severely with the leader of the other
Roman Catholic section of the South
ern Slavs. the Slovenes, who inhabit
the northwestern province of the
country. Numbers Of young Croat:
were driven into exile.
Even in Serbia proper, liberal feeling
began to turn against the King. Two
years ago distinguished Serbian di-
plomatist, not unknown in the United
States. came secretly from Belgrade
to tell me of his fears.
Anything may happen at any
moment, even the worst" he said.
answered. You mean assassination
of the King?"
He nodded.
1T would be the last and worst