524 The Review of Reviews. 



any Power for protection, but the balance of that she might assist Germany in an inter- 

 friendship is bound to incline towards Russia national war is precluded by the fact that it. is 

 rather than towards Austria. Second only to as much as she can do to cope with her internal 

 this is the fact that the States of the Balkan conditions. In Austria and Hungary the Ger- 

 League and their new territories are organised man and Magyar populations are enormously 

 upon a broadly liberal, democratic basis, and, outnumbered by races of Slav origin, who have 

 therefore, look for friends rather amongst the been repressed with difficulty in the past, and 

 democratic nations of the West of Europe than who must inevitably be less easy to control in 

 the reactionary, autocratic governments of the future. For Austria the Balkan question 

 Berlin or Vienna. resolves itself into the Servian question, and 

 While it is certain that no Power will take with this question she has more than enough to 

 any active part in intervention, it is interesting do. At Vienna there is complete anarchy in 

 to glance for a moment at the various interests government circles. Nobody has any real 

 involved. First we may dismiss those of Great authority. Count Berchtold less than any. The 

 Britain and France, for these nations desire the Archduke Ferdinand is perhaps the strongest 

 continued success and development of the element, and his ardently reactionary and Jesuitic 

 Balkan peoples under settled and free govern- tendencies might lead him to foolish action 

 ments. Their sympathies are strongly with the against the Balkan League were he not kept in 

 Balkan League, and in this their sympathies check by the natural antipathy which every aged 

 march together with their obvious political and sovereign has for his successor. Austria, there- 

 economic interests. Italy, beyond a very real fore, has rapidly changed from her attitude at 

 Interest in the future of Aloania and an expressed the Berlin Congress and from her undoubted 

 readiness to allow Servia an outlet on the desires for territorial expansion, and has now 

 Adriatic, has small interests other than economic devoted herself to a policy of rescuing what she 

 and personal. Russia has a very sincere desire may in the shape of economic advantages, 

 for security of outlet to the Black Sea for her pro- Those who assisted in the economic war between 

 ducts, but beyond this she looks rather towards Austria and Servia of some six years ago can 

 the Eastern side of Asia Minor than towards the appreciate better than anybody else the signifi- 

 Balkans. Germany, whose Oriental dream was cance of this change. If Austria, the one 

 dispelled with the destruction of the Turkish " great " Power whose future is vitally bound 

 hosts in Thrace and Macedonia, finds herself up with a continuation of her right to the title, 

 alone in face of the Triple Entente, unsupported can do no more than this we feel perfectly justi- 

 by Austria, her once faithful ally. For Austria fied in saying that not only has the Balkan 

 the situation is one not only of anxiety but of League destroyed the status quo, but has also 

 extremest peril. Accustomed in the past to treat put an end to the fiction of the Great 

 Servia, and every Balkan race, as dirt beneath Powers. The Great Powers were great because 

 her feet, she is now forced to realise that not of the difference between the world's estimation 

 only can she not dictate at Belgrade, but the of them and of the lesser Powers. To-day the 

 new Servia, backed by the Balkan League, may difference has nearly disappeared, and the 

 well disrupt the Dual Monarchy. Any question greatness with it. 



