THE H.B. TRIBUNE. TUESDAY, OCT. 24, 1916. THE AUSTRIAN ASSASSINATION.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 264, 24 October 1916, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. TUESDAY, OCT. 24, 1916. THE AUSTRIAN ASSASSINATION.

The true meaning and probable consequences of the assassination of the Austrian Prime Minister have not been greatly elucidated by the little flood of ostensible information and obvious surmise that lias beer let loose upon us through the cabley since reference was made to the incident in this column yesteiu?. Some would suggest that great po litical significance, with possibly a most important bearing on the conduct and period of the war, attac’n s to it. Others speak, with equal con ffdence, of it as the act of a zealot at least partially demented and animated a good deal by personal motives. But even accepting this latter view as correct, it may be that the crime, if crime it may proit ,o be, will be followed by results tba*were never in contemplation by the perpetrator, or by anyone else. From the description given of him in the cables, it can be readily understood that a man of his temperament and obsessions would provide a ready and eager tool to be handled by conspirators looking for the means to precipitate a crisis. One thing seems fairly clear that in destroying Count Stuergkh, the Socialistic journalist has merely destroyed a political figurehead, whose personal volition and influence have been but little felt. In truth his name, when it came across the wires, would come to most ears with quite unfamiliar sound. This great turmoil has discovered to our rather slow British perceptions many individualities whose existence we had not previously suspected. But that of Count Stuergkh is certainly one which has not come much to the surface, so far as our observation has gone. While the name of Count Tisza, who holds the corresponding office in the Hungarian Government, has made itself well-known, the Austrian has remained to us a person entirely inconsequential, if, indeed, we ever really recognised his existence. And it is here that we get some index to the motive, if motive other than personal there be, that prompted M. Adler’s action which has startled, and evidently alarmed, the Teutonic world. The grave complaint of the Austrians has been that the identity of their country has, dunng this war. been to a great extent sunk in that of the sister King lo n whose political rulers have b eu highly Germanised. But in Hun gary there has also been revolt against German domination, and one of the latest evidences of this lay in the loud and indignant- protests -which were raised, about a couple of months ago, when the Hungarian Armies were placed under the absolute control of Marshal von Hindenburg. The scathing criticism which was then levelled against the Government in the Hungarian Chamber was loudly cheered, and the surrender of Hungary’s military independence denounced. It will thus be seen that in both Austria and Hungary there is a strong current of discontent with the inclination of those in authority to permit German influences to control and coerce all interests. This, too, wull explain why the German press is so anxious to deprive the assassination of the Austrian Prime Minister of political import, and to attribute it solely to the diseased mentality of on irresponsible citizen. On the other hand, the Italian papers are naturally inclined to make the most of the disturbance that has been created, and we should therefore be a little chary of accepting theii- version of the affair, although, of course, we may take it that, were they but disinterested, they are probably better able than any other section of the Allies’ press to judge the true inwardness of matters. Of one thing we may feel assured, that, under German direction, no measures will be too harsh for adoption in order to suppress any danger that exists with regard to the combined military operations of the Central Empires. The people of Austria-Hungary nave suffered much greater hardships than have those of Germany in consequence of the war, which the Kaiser brought upon them, and have awakened to his ultimate designs for a world empire which .could strangle both Austria and Hungary. But it may well be doubted whether the people will be allowed to develop any effective organisation to give practical expression to their discontent. An Austrian assassination was made the pretext for bringing the war upon us, but there is not much hope that this other will do much to relieve us of it.