4
STAGE SEEMS TO BE
SET FOR EUROPEAN
WAR IN THE SPRING
LONDON, Eng. ir Europe Is
to be saved from a genornl
international convulsion in
the coining spring, her
chlof statesmen will de
serve the pralBo of history
and the thnnksof tlio whole world. It is
In tho Bpring that things happon In the
Balkan region that present center of
tho continent wherein may be struck
the vital spark of European ilame. The
Bnlkans nro extremely mountainous,
and the country, dilllcult of communi
cation in most parts at any time, is
impassable in tho winter, 'when snow
and drift and glacier block the rugged
way, wrltos A. Francis Walker In tho
New York Press.
It is a country of unrest, of strife
and turmoil. Year nftor year the
world has been told each winter
"There will bo war in tho Balkans in
tho spring." Tho world has been
fooled so many times by this rumor
that it has bocomo skoptical, but the
time for skepticism is past. If ever
the rumor is going to 11 ml develop
mcnt in actual fact, It surely will fiud
it in the spring of 1909. According
to Sir Edward Grey, the British min
later for foroigu affairs, the present
Balkan troubles have caused "tho
greatest diplomatic complications of
modern history." Never wore so many
international interests involved, nor
dt1 so many territorial complications
ever arise at one juncture. Tho Serb
states seem bent upon fight; Bulgaria,
in her ambitions toward Macedonia,
no longer feela her Interests bound up
with Austria; Russia cannot afford to
disregard Slav feeling, however much
sbo may cry peac(; and whichever
way the pendulum swings, it nn out
break should occur, Austria and Tur
key must find themselves involved.
Germany has - promised to stand by
Austria and Franco and England aro
busy safeguarding their status quo.
All Signs Point to War.
Tho announcement that Austria had
'decided to pay the sum or $10,000,000
or thereabouts to Turkey as conipen-
might well tolerate from a Servian
tonguo what slio could not possibly
tolerate from Russia,' Franco or Gcr
mnny, for Instance a little more con
sideration for the oxlngencles of the
Servian minister's surroundings might
have led tho government of Vienna to
regard tho Sorvlan minister's speech
as Intended less for foreign than for
homo consumption. But Austria is not
Inclined to be lonient. As a matter of
fact, consideration for the weaker na
tion In genoral never has been n char
acteristic of the policy of Vienna. Tho
whole trend of events during the past
few weeks points to tills fact that
the tics which maintain certain of tho j
European powers in a state of peace
are of tho very slenderest nature and
that tho sllghtost Indiscretion of word
or deed may proclpitnto a struggle tho
end of which no living man can for
see. Is Contest of Races.
Tho fundamental, basic fact back of
all tho negotiations between tho vari
ous powers, principally Austria and
Turkey, Russia and the Balkan prov
inces proper, is the collision of two
opposing forces, whose natural trend,
respectively, Is east and west, north
and south. KInglnko In his masterly
analysis of tho Crimean war has noted
tho Inevitable tendency of tho north
em peoples to tho south and tho
warm water. At the present moment
two great races aro obeying that In
stinct the Teuton qnd the Slav.
From west to east, or southeast, the
Teuton, represented by Austria, with
the drivlug power of Germany behind
her, is heading for Salonika. From
north to south, or southwest, the Slav
is equally bent upon linking up the
dismembered fragments of his race
and making his way down to tho
Adriatic. And the geographical and
political point at which the lines of
these movements Intersect lies in the
two provinces which form tho present
bone of contention.
Through Bosnia and Herzegovina,
also through Sorvla herself, Austria
wlih AuHfr'.a'd recnt concession to
Turkey.
There nro critics who trace the orl
gin of tho present European troublo
mainly to the aspirations o! Francis
Joseph's heir, the Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, whose aim is bollcvod to
bo partly Federalist the change of
the dual monarchy into a federal sys
tem, of which n Slav Btato will form
an important constituent partly Cler
ical at home mid abroad. This would
mean pushing Austrian rule forward
Into tho Balkans In tho spirit mid
with the aim of a twentieth contury
Catholic crusade. Other critics con
clude that while the act of Bulgaria
in putting her foot through tho treaty
of Berlin whon she declared her Inde
pendence In October last and Austria's
formal Incorporation of Bosnia nud
Herzegovina, may have been dramatic,
nobody In Europe considered Btilgnrla
or Boanln and Herzegovina parts
of the Turkish empire except
in name. Austria created ordor
in tho two provinces nud admin
istered and civilized them for 30 years
and probably no historian over will
say that Europo contomplated their
being handed back to Turkey with
out protest. For all practical pur-
tion of Cretan independence gnvo an
noynnco to Turkey nt a very critical
moment. King Goorgo Is one of iho
most interesting figures of Southern
Europe. His government has been
wise and sober,, and ho and Queen
Olgn nro InimcnBely populnr.
King Peter of Sorvla has been culled
"the boycotted monarch," because,
with the excoptlon of Emperor Francis
Joseph, all tho rulers of Europe hnvo
rofuscd to visit him or to accept visits
from him. This because King Potcr
lias refused to dissociate himself from
tho assassin of King Aloxander nnd
Queen Drngn. The assassins, Indeed,
in spite of the protosts of foreign pow
ers, are among those who still hold
high ofllce in tho kingdom, a fact that
londs some color to the rumor that
tho present king was privy to the hor
riblo crime of tho palace. Neverthe
less, Sorvla has had the support of
tho western powers in her claims for
compensation from Austria. The
Crown Prince George is a wild, hnrum
scarum youth, whoso chlof faculty is
that'of getting Into scrapes which dis
tress tho Sorvlan authorities.
Prince Nicholas of Montenegro buc
coeded to tho throno In 18C0, after
the murder of Danllo I. His court Is
.5"iniHiAHol ..... 11
A
S7 I
A Modern Incompatibility
i
BY CHARLOTTE WILSON
(Copyright, by Uobbs-MerrtU Co.)
THE PROBABLE SCENE OF ACTION.
or KoumiMs.
INTERESTED PERSONAGES.
s.tion for tho annexation of Bosnia hopes to forco her way southward
and Herzegovina cleared tho air for a
time, but already dlrncultloH liavo
arisen concerning tho actual amount
to bo paid In cash, tho terniH of pay
ment and the rofusal of Turkey to
stop the boycott of Austrian trado un
til tho final signatures to the financial
settlement have been written down.
That ia only part of the troublo any
way. Sorvla and Montenogro are
moro defiant than over. The recent
speech of tho Servian minister for
foreign affairs In his own parliament
was a flat defiance or Austrian de
mands. M. Mllovanovltch, the Servian for
eign mlnistor. practically said "Hands
off!" to Austria. He bluntly declared
that tho balance of powor nnd tho lib
erties of the Balkan peoples could bo
safeguarded only by Austria coasing
to bo a Balkan power. Further, ho
formulated n demand for the auton
omy of Bosnia and Herzgovina under
Euroixan control and for tho recogni
tion of tho Save and the Danube rivers
as tho frontier between the dual mon-
nrchv and tho Balkans,
A wont power like Austria-Hungary
squid afford to romalu passive under
provocation from a minor atato, and
Through that same territory, inhab
ited by the mon of his own race and
tongue, and largely of his own re
ligion, tho Slav Intends to find his way
to tho sea, and thereby to unite those
kindred racial elements which are ani
muted by the most intense hatred and
jealousy of Teutonic ambitions
It would seem as if, in the presence
of these two tromondous opposing
forces, tho potty details of interna
tional politics from day to day havo
only that lmportanco which belongH
to them in their relation to those
forces. Yet it is In tho petty details
of political strife that the kindling
wood Is found.
Disagree as to Motives,
There senilis to bo no doubt that tho
personal iulluunco of tho Emperor
Francis Joseph had a groat deal to do
with the avoidanco of rupture u few
months ugo: The omporor, sometimes
called tho "fathor-ln-law of Europe,"
is the oldest of European sovereigns.
Ho Is 78 years old, and he has' rolguod
for CI years. And It la fairly certain
that tho emperor's doslro for poaco
and his anxiety to soo a qulot sunset
of a rolgn that had such a cyclonic
suuriKQ In 1818 has had much to do
poses, whatever they were In theory,
Bosnia and Herzegovina were prov
inces of Austria-Hungary, nnd Bul
garia was an independent principality.
Undoubtedly the lrreslstlblo racial am
blttons of the peoples, referred to In
a previous paragraph, aro tho most
potent influences that havo been at
work. These instincts nro finding
frank nnd open expression at tills
juncture.
Bulgaria has been a powerful em
pire In the past, possessing something
of n glorious history. Many of tho
greatest victories and conquests of
Turkey were due to tho devotions and
reckless courage of her Bulgarian sol
diers, worthy descendants of the men
who, fighting hi the phalanx or Alex
ander tho Great, conquered the world.
Tho revolt of the Bulgarians and tho
Bulgarian massacres following them,
brought on the last RiiBso-Turkish
war, which Was closed provisionally
by the treaty or San Stefnno. That
treaty created Greater Bulgaria, to in
cludo Rumclla and Macedonia, those
parts or Turkey In which Bulgarians
formed the majority of tho Inhabit
ants. The treaty of San Stefano was
revised by tho powers at tho congress
of Berlin and Bulgaria had tho two
sub-territories taken away rrom her.
She regained Rumelia, but not Mace,
doula. The Bulgarians nro the strong
est elemont among tho Inhabitants or
Macedonia, and Bulgaria has been la
tent upon regaining the province. The
recent Turkish revolution, nud es
pecially the intention or the Young
Turk party to Immediately reform and
strengthen tho neglected army, ap
peared to stimulate Bulgaria to action.
Great Powers Involved.
Bulgaria has two mighty neighbors,
and to conquer and hold Macedonia
Bhe had to have tho backing of a first-
class power. For that support she
turned to Austria-Hungary, having lost
tho support of Russia when she re
jected Russia's tutelage, refused to
Russianize hor army and to convert
Bulgaria luto a Russian protectorate.
There are those who believe that a
Turko-Bulgarlan quarrol would bo only
ono net In a grent European struggle
for tho control of Constantinople. It
Is for Constantinople that Russia has
fought nearly nil. her grontest wars
since the time or Peter the Great and
Catherine II., nnd some critics fore
see a combination of Russia and Tur
key, supported by Great Britain,
against Bulgarian aggression, which
they Bay, would bo supported by Aus
tria" and Gormnny. Great Britain is
concerned for her control or tho Bos
phorus nnd tho Dardanelles, nnd
France has hor border Interests as
well aB her entente with Great Britain
to consider.
The sovorolgn housos or tho Balkan
statos have rurnlshcd the melodrama,
ir not tho tragedy, or presont-day his
tory. Tho most powerful and most
universally rospectod of tho Balkan
rulers to day is King Charles or Ru
mania. Ho Is nearly 70 years old, and
In noor health. In his 40 years' reign
ho lias dovoloped the country Into tho
most prosperous nnd powerful of tho
Balkan states. His wlfo Is "Carmen
Sylva." Tho melodrama or this royal
house waB furnished by Prince Couzn,
the present king's predecessor, whose
prolllgucies shocked his people ho
much that they compellod him to ab
dicate. King Chnrlos was a German
prince and did not tako thu title or
king until nrtor tho Russo-TurklHh war
or 1877, when ho aided the Muscovite!
forcos.
Three Monarchs Interested.
Greece comoa into tho present mix
up ou account of hor Macedonian In
terests, and ulso becausu the doclnra-
poverty-stricken, pnrtly owing to the
prince's own extravagances nnd mania
for gambling. Ono of his daughters
is the present queen or Itnly.
War Would Mean Change.
Or Abdul Humid II. or Turkey ltttlo
need be said. During his reign of 32
years he has lost most or his domin
ions in Europe, and as the regenerated
Turkey, under constitutional rule, haB
shorn him or most or his govern
mental power, ho becomes a much less
dominant figure than before In the
ruling or the Ottoman umpire.,
H there should bo war there surely
will be somo radical changes In the
map or Europe. Truly, In tho event
or general hostilities, some historic
battlefleldB would bo trampled again.
Tho entire area or central Europo Ib
a memory or wars or tho past; ouo
can scarcely trend a Bquiiro mile or
ground without putting one'H foot
upon Home battlefield of a bygono
time.
Tho totnl war strength ot tho Euro
pean nntloiiH at present concerned In
tho diplomatic negotiations over tho
Balkans is represented by a total of
8,399,000 troops, which Includes en
listed men and reserves. But reckon
ing the number or men actually avail
able for duty, though uuorganlzed, a
European war could menu tho employ
ment in tho work of killing of 13,500-
000 men, or a grand total or 21,959,000
men In land forces alone. Tho employ
mont of the navies of the samo na
tions could mean tho engagement or
a total or 122 modern battleships,
1,802 other vessels or wnr and 3G2.CGI
men.
Tho totnl wealth or these samo na
tions Is represented In gigantic fig'
ures, no less than $215,000,000,000. Of
all the European powers, Franco Is
best nblo financially to face a war,
The individual wealth of Franco Ib
groater than that or any or her rivals,
and her intornnl financial reBponslbll
Itles aro less. Germany Is not in a
healthy financial state. Turkey has
been financially corrupt for ages, but,
somehow. Bho always can get tho
money to light.
Always Prepared for War.
There has been no serious European
outbreak slnco tho Russo-Turklsh war
of 1877-S, though for several yenrB be
fore that Europe had known little
pence. Tho Franco-German war oi
1870, tho Crimean war of 1850 and the
Austro-Prusslan war or 18GG are all
near memories. In the Balkans thorn
boIvos thoro has been no real peace
for years past. Tho Bulgars, tho Turks
and tho Greeks havo lived in a state
of turmoil.
For nil The IJnugiio poaco confer
oucos and talks of trouticB and nrbl
tratlons, Europo looks out upon tho
spring with quivering oyo und nerves
u-tlnglc. The jenlouslos of races and
nutlons scatter treaties and papor
bonds to the four winds. How long
bororo tho clash? Tho Turk In his
mad fanaticism, guarding religion and
raco la tho manner In which he enjoys
tho groatcst fighting unit In tho worjd
perhaps, though always lacking load
orshlp and discipline; tho Rulgar no
loss warlike and capable of a guerrilla
campaign second to nono, the Greek
and nil tho mixed bloods of tho Orl
out combined; the Teuton nud tho
Slav, tho Norman and tho Anglo
Saxon, with little chance for tho Latin
to oscape, ir Itnly sees 111 to keep faith
with hor allies all likely to ba In
volved In sotting tho Old World
nblazo! A coutlnont of peoples clash
ing and struggling for that prldo ot
pi nee which diplomats choose to torm
"tho balance of power!" .How long?
Tha spring may tell.
They had been engaged a week. Tho
lagoon was blue bluer than living
turquoise; and tho long, sweeping lines
of tho pnrk award seemed to thorn
considerably greener than emerald.
They seemed qulto satisfied whero
thpy were, ns the man, with long, lazy
Btrokcs, brought the skiff nround tho
point or tho wooded Island. Ho looked
across at her under his tilted lint
brim, his long, brown hands clasped
behind his head, his legs crossed.
"Sweetheart." h said, "has It oo
curred to you that we'll bo poor?"
"Often," sho Bald.
His unconscious look of relief alone
betrayed a latent anxiety In tho ques
tion. "You see," ho explained, with a
queer smile, "I don't know you so
xerv woll."
"Nor I you," sho retorted. They
both Boomed strangely undisturbed by
tho announcement.
"I mean," he coutlnucd comfortably,
"tho You that Ib tho product ot heredi
ty and environment. I think I know
the essential You very woll. O, I
know what you'ro going to Bay; you
know it does go a good way toward
explaining u porson, to know Just how
lie bus beon brought up, nnd how ho
differs from 1i!b brothers nnd sisters
what ho inherits from hlB fathor, and
whut ho doesn't Inherit that ho ought
to from Ills mother. Tako me, for in
stance; I don't think you enn really
know me without having watched mo
grow up among my five Bisters."
"I might ns well glvo it up, mightn't
I?" sho asked, paddling In tho wntor
with tho frivolity or Idlo hupplncss. "I
don't see how it's to bo done."
Ho smiled. "If wo had lived In ad
joining houses, now "
"No," sho Interrupted. "Then you
would remomber how I looked when
I had the measles."
"I don't know that I should caro to
have you remember mo In dresses," ho
conceded. "I'm afraid you might novor
have had .tho proper respect for me."
'It's an Ideal Diet a Return to Na
ture."
Then lie smiled a characteristic smile
which transformed his long, Herlous
face. "I think, nfter all. I Uko best to
havo discovered you," ho Bald.
"I know I do," she nnswered with
decision. "I shouldn't like to havo
beon thrown at your head, even by
Providence. And, though I supposo a
man does have to live In nn ndjolnlnu.
house to know somo things, a womun
doesn't. I can reconstruct you and
your live siBtors ut any period or your
lire. A man Iiuh no Intuitions, you
know," Bho uddod, dimpling with ami
labia nrroganco or sex.
"And your Intuitions told you I was
poor?" he asked.
Sho noddod. ,
"They saved mo tho embarrass
mont," ho said with a slow smile. Ho
waa paddling Idly in tho water, with
a hesitation that scorned to her very
lovable. Sho wnnted to help him out;
but Bho lot him work through tho dlT-
Acuity for tho good of his soul. "I've
been thinking ever slnco last Saturday
that I ought to talk to you"
"Don't look so much in earnest,"
she interrupted. "I'm liko David Cop-
perfleld's Dora 'can't bear to bo talk
ed to Beriously.' "
His embarrassoi earnestness lifted
a little. "Now, you've led mo straight
to tho point," ho said. " You you re
member Dora's housekeeping?"
It wub her turn to flush now. "I
I didn't say I was like Dora In every
thing," she protostod. "I'm I'm an
epitome or all tho heroines in fiction
all tho nlco ones, that Is. You needn't
bo afraid " A spark of resontmont
waB beginning to bIiow through her
distressful embarrassment.
"Listen," he said. "You misunder
stood me. Let mo tell you in another
way. I have a theory."
"Oh," Bhe said, recovering herself,
"ir that'B nil ! You're precisely the
man I'd suspect or carrying concenldd
theories! I haven't told you," sho
said, looking up nt him vindictively,
'that you'ro just precisely not tho
kind or man I Intendod to marry. You
3ee, slnco I'vo been in college, I'vo met
to many freaks I vorlly bollovo I'vo
been proposed to by a Greek Proposi
tion, pursued by an Economic Theory,
and nil but captured by n Dally Themo
that flnnlly I said one day to mother,
Mothor, do you mind If I many a
butcher or n Viking? If I could only
tlnd a nlco, gory Vlklug! No tntellec
:ual porson need apply."
"You'ro trying to distract my mind,"
Uo sold, with groat sternness. "Do
you" ho cleared htB throat, his
bravado deserting him a little, do
you know anything about tho rxw
food movement?"
"Raw food?" Bho repeated blankly.
"It's an Ideal diet a return to na
ture In tho practical sense," he ex
plained hurriedly. Sho looked genu
inely disconcerted. After all, ho did
not know her very well. Perhaps he
did not at all; tho Idea of a square
meal certainly seemed incongruous ir
connoction with hoi. Sho looked as.
It she got that color as the flowers.
get theirs. It was embarrassing to bo-
discussing such things so soon; yet
hang It!
"Do you moan raw pork and pea
nuts and fish-worms, for lnstnnco?"
Bho nBked, with a Bmllo which brought
tho queer, misplaced little dlmplo at
the lower corner of her mouth Into full
play.
"Not exactly," ho answered, Bplnsh
ing in the water with his paddle. "It's
tho prlnclplo of cooking that's wrong,"
ho explained.
Sho blushed. Sho had overlooked
that.
"Havo you over tried It?" ho asked
skopticnlly, with the amazing nudaclty
of tho mock.
"Tried It?" Bho echoed Indignantly.
"I don't bco how you've found tlmo
whllo you've boon in college," ho
said, retreating a llttlo.
"Ono can alnys find tlmo for what
one likes," she retorted. "Besides, I
was brought up to know how to do
things, on principle. My mothor has,
old-raBhloucd Ideas about such things.
Aud I like It. When my brain's tired
thero's nothing that soothes It Hk?
making noodles. It's n beautiful ac
complishment. And ono doesn't havo
to think noodle thoughts tho whllo
though noodle thoughts aro very In
teresting, for that matter."
"I should think thoy might be," ho
commented. A deep amusement was
dawning In his eyes.
He was bo lovablo In his slow effort
ut readjustment that she cried out
suddenly: "Oh, man, man! my pretty
dreams I the" kettle simmering, and
and tho nice poached eggB and tho
umcll of the coffco tho smell or cor-
fee, now, is really poetical "
Bless Us heart!" said tho man with.
sudden tenderness. "Do you suppose.
I'm going to object to your having
what you want to oat, sweetheart?"
For a moment sho was speechless.
Then, "Oh! ub It I cared what I eat!"
sho cried, (lushed and Indignant.
Tho man stared. "I thought that
waB what we were talking ubout," ho
said humbly.
"Ono can't explain things to a man,"
she said with vehement disgust.
"When one has no talent ono naturally
dreams ot laying It nt tho root or the
man one loves. I'vo alwnyB yearned
for Bomobody to fix for! And to have
set your affections upon a man who'
nbovo all that to havo no opportunity
to develop the natural bent or your
genius "
He had been watching her smile ot
deep and hidden Import. "Thoro aro
all sorts ot nlco llttlo salads you can
make," ho said Biiddeuly.
"Salads?" Bho repeated, staring.
"Yep. Raw Balads, Bananas and
nuts and apples "
"How dellclously Indigestible I You
don't mean to Bay that tho movement
permits or things that are agreeable
to tho tasto?"
Ho was still watching hor under tho
brim or hlB hat. "And all tho head
cranks or my cult say that you must'
havo flowers and things on tho ta
ble." Sho was brightening perceptibly. "I
hadn't thought or that," sho cried.
"Does that holp any?" ho asked,
with great curiosity.
"Yo-cb lmmensoly," sho Bald. "I
begin to see possibilities In that
movement."
"My futuro is fairly reeking with
possibilities," ho announced contentedly.
When they rounded tho head of tho
island ngaln, n llttlo later, u tiny col
umn ot pale bluo smoke became visi
ble ou tho right, toward tho convent,
n was mounting almost straight up
ward against the amber glow of tho
Into urtornoon sky.
Tho man pointed out the llttlo camp
flro on the yollow snnd by tho water's
edge. Tho figure or a man was bond
ing over it, nnd a woman in a scarlet
goir Jacket was moving about at a
llttlo irlstaiico. Two children wero
whooping joyously In tho foreground.
The girl stood up in tho boat to
look, in spite or his remonstrance,
"They're cooking supper!" sho said.
"Oh, how porrectly darling!" Sho
looked around nt tho Jewel-world about
them. "It Just completes tho picture!"
Bho suld. "It humanizes the land
Hcapo!" The man grinned soir-consclously.
"Something smells mighty good," ho
admitted.
Sho turned upon him, arrested by
tlio lemarK, ana iookou nt nun for
some seconds, Then she clasped hor
handB. "Oh, my prophetic soul!" alio
gnsped. "It's ham! Ho likes the smell
of It!"
"Don't Jump up and down," snld tho
num. "You'll drown us."
That Irrational dlmplo was in full
play as sho looked down at him. "1
think wo can get along," sho said, nod
ding at him. "You're nothing but a
man, alter all. It won't take a serpent
to beguilo you; you'll Just say, 'The
womun tempted me, and I did
eat!' Ail nice inon avo liko that," sho
added comfortingly.