AUSTRIA AND SERVIA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 451, 9 March 1909, Page 5

AUSTRIA AND SERVIA.

VIENNA POLICY. COMMERCIAL WEAPONS READY. RUSSIAN OPINION. (DY TELEGRAPn—rBESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Rec. March 9, 0.15 a.m.) Vienna, March 8. In yicw of tho reported tenour of Scrvia's reply to Russia, Baron Aolirenthal, AustroHiingarian Minister for Foreign Affairs, has intimated that when Servia assures AnstriaHungary of her intentions to maintain peaceful relations, ho will bo prepared to ncgotiato for a renewal, of tho commercial treaty which expires on March 31. Ho objects to tho proposed Conference- of tho Powers meoting until mattors aro arranged with Sorvia , . St. Petersburg, March 8. Although official circles in St. Petersburg are optimistio, tho Russian peoplo aro pessimistic, believing that Austria-Hungary's aim is to humiliate Sorvia. • "THE PIG WAR." How Austria-Hungary uses tho commercial lever on her smaller neighbour is thus shown by Mr. John Foster Fraser: "Servia cannot do anything commercially without tho sanction of Austria. Austria has about half the imports of Servia, and takes practically all tho exports. British trade is dwindling. . . . The growing of pigs and exporting them to Austria is tho staple industry. Indeed, pig-breeding may be called the one trade of Servia. When a Serb is well-to-do, the money has come from pigs. Thoro is, however, a speck on the prosperity. Austria is not only the big customer, but it is tho big neighbour. Sometimes Austria is inclined to play the bully and makes Servia do things that little Servia does not want to do. 'Very well,' says Austria, 'you have swine fever in such and such a villagej swine fever is a terrible thing; wo could not think of subjecting Austrian swine to the possibility of contagion from infected swine; therefore, wo prohibit any Servian pigs entering this country.' Ruin stares Servia in tho face. It is no use protesting that tho swine fever is so infinitesimal it does not matter. Austria is adamant. Servia yields. It does what Austria wants it to do—gives Austrian wares a preference over thoso of Germany and France. And just at tho time Servia gives in, Austria decides that the swino fever in Servia is not very bad after all, and the prohibition is removed." A three-years' Customs war between Servia and Austria-Hungary—known as tho "pig war" —was announced as coming to an end in August last, when a commercial treaty with AustriaHungary was approved. But, according to the Vienna correspondent of "The Times," it was to come "provisionally into forco," and at the samo time tho semi-official Viouna journal, "Fremdenblatt," warned Servia that if Austrophobia was allowed to prevail, Austro-Hungar-ian patience might be exhausted. Apparently this treaty, which camo "provisionally into force" on September 1 last, requires confirmation as from the end of the present month, and is therefore an Aiistro-Hnngarian weapon in tho present diplomatio struirele.