6i8 The Review of Reviews. 



view. He also said : " We are prepared cipitating a European war. Those 

 to make large allowance for the new Powers who have complacently accepted 

 situation created by the victories of the as true gold the pinchbeck of Viennese 

 Balkan States, and thus lay the founda- declarations are also to blame. Saza- 

 tions of a lasting and friendly under- noff in Russia, going counter to the 

 standing with them. ... With Servia Tsar, who approved the draft of the 

 it is our intention to live in friendly Balkan League, and the Russian people, 

 relations in every domain. We hope helped to blind Austria to the facts of 

 the attitude of the Servian kingdom will the case and intoxicate her with a 

 make the realisation of this intention belief of her ability to direct the Euro- 

 possible." And to help Servia to aid pean Concert. It would be interest- 

 in the realisation the Austrian Govern- ing to know whether Austria has 

 ment mobilises masses of men on the forgotten that in 1881 she signed a 

 Servian frontier. secret convention with Servia, by which 



That Austria should Austria not only acknowledged the 



The Presumption pursuc a policy of paulc right of the Servian nation to the 



of Austria. is inevitable, perhaps, Kossovo Vilayet (Old Servia) and the 



and excusable ; but Vardar Valley of Macedonia, but en- 

 what is astounding is that all the gaged to plead for the Servian claims 

 European nations allow themselves to on those countries at the first European 

 be led by the nose by the one Conference meeting to decide the fate 

 Power most selfishly interested in the oi the Balkan territories. The treaty 

 questions at issue. It is as if Europe was renewed several times, and it 

 were content to have a case tried in may be well to recall it to Count 

 which the judge and jury all stand to Berchtoldt's memory now, so that he 

 benefit largely by a verdict of guilty, raay give the necessary instructions for 

 For Austria has no real grounds, save the coming conference of ambassadors ! 

 those of propinquity, for assuming her There would have been 

 presumptuous attitude towards Europe The Procurers no rumours of European 

 in the Servian question. Our ears are **' ^""* war following the de- 

 becoming so used to declarations from molition of Turkey in 

 Vienna beginning as follows : " Servia Europe had there existed no Press in 

 shall not . . . Roumania can . . . the Vienna, or had the Austro-Hungarian 

 Great Powers will," that we must really newspapers been free and honest organs, 

 believe that Austria thinks sincerely not mere tools in the hands of the 

 that she is running the show. And yet Government. The campaign of mingled 

 she is the most impotent among the lies and exaggerations has been as skil- 

 impotent. Ignoring the fact that the fully conducted as any that has ever 

 Balkan League fixed the limits of their emanated from the Austrian Press 

 various interests before the war, and Bureau — the best organised department 

 are quite capable of managing their own in a disorganised State. If libel actions 

 affairs, and taking no heed' of the lay against newspapers, then Servia 

 attitude of Russia or her susceptibilities, would be able to find her war indemnity 

 Austria has almost succeeded in pre- in the newspaper offices of her northern 



