WAR FEVER. THE TROUBLE IN THE BALKANS

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 51, 2 March 1909, Page 7

WAR FEVER. THE TROUBLE IN THE BALKANS

RUSSIA. AND -BEEV&L "NO AGGRESSWEUINiEEIJTIONS.'i IBy Telegraph.— Press -Association.— Copyright*. (Received -Maron, 2, Qr&.m.) BELGRADE,, fc* March. The Porte has informed' ,Serwi thai. 1 tne transport, of explosives through' ; Turkish territory has been prohibited, SERVIANS INTEBEST.S. ~ TO BE-LEFT TO JUDGMENT OF, 1 THE POWERS. * RUSSIAN SATISFACTION. ST. PETERSBURG, Ist March; [ Servia has informed Russia that sh#. has- no aggressive intentions, and is pre* pared to leave the interests of Servi*' to the judgment of the Powers. ' Replying, Russia expressed satisfaci' tion, and added that Servia's declara^ tions regarding the- acquisition of terri^ tory would find neither sympathy noTi support among the Powers. The Rus* sian reply does not mention demobilise tion. .WARLIKE SERBS. ' | FRESH OUTBREAK OF FEELING* ! BELGRADE, Ist March. J Russia's remonstrances have caused a» fresh outburst of the war fever in Ser* via The writer of the Chronique of Foreign Affairs in the Fortnightly Review takes a somewhat hopeful view o£>, •the political condition of Turkey undes the new regime. As to the Sultan, his: fall, is said to bo as deep as that o$ Abdul Aziz. "He is a shadow of a' name. Nothing in the unique drama of; the last five months has been more extraordinary than the survival of Abdul 1 Hamid after ,the disappearance of Hamidianism." Ail is changed except his: neivous dread of assassination ; for- thiav is unabated ;- and, remembering the num<\ ber of human beings he removed from, his path while he exercised despotic power, his fears are not to be wondered, at. Representative institutions appearto have taken deep root in Turkey, but it seems to be anticipated that the constitution will undergo some revision, in^ Older -to eestablish the principle of Ministerial responsibiKty to Parliament. At present Ministers are nonrinaljy chosen by the Sultan, which might enable him,, if he saw the chance, to obtain, control' of tl^e Executive. Nazim Bey, a member ol the Government, has.. stated that it intended to recognise all the departments of the State with the assistance of foreign experts; the army is to be strengthened and enlarged.; aad the finances established on a sound, aod^satisfactory basis. The writer of this article credits the young Turks with equal boldness and judgment. "They carried' the elections with- a high band, and we mast suppose that if they have made-cer-tain, of a majority, they haye -made not loss certain of the men -wio Miompcee it."Nor have they any intention of dissolying the Committee of Union and Progress, which played so -important a^>art in the recent revolution. TJiey are stated to be genuinely in favour of peace, because they have need' of tranquility at home and abroad, in order- io enable them to carry on the work of reconstructing the machinery of the State. At the same 'time, there is ■no-*disguising the fact that the danger of divisions among the Young Turks is far from inconsiderable, and is accentuated by the discordant "elements of the Parliament,, and the strange medley of races and religions to be met with within its walls ; but, as it is remarked, "the knowledge that all depends upon unity in the" Ottoman cause may help to keep thenv togtther."