Nelson Evening Mail TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1928 POLITICS IN THE BALKANS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 7 August 1928, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1928 POLITICS IN THE BALKANS

IT is a strange fact that it is the lesser nations of Europe which present the greatest danger to peace. At one time there is anxiety because.of revolution in Greece; at another time there are alarming disturbances in Bulgaria; lately there was something like a crisis in Rumania, when the peasants' delegates met in a decidedly threatening manner to protest against the oligarchy presided over, by M. Bratiano; off-and-on for years past there has been friction along the border between Lithuania unci Po : land- two months ago the Jugoslavs were shouting: "Down with Mussolini! Down with Italy," and to-day the Croats were demanding political autonomy, and have met in a separate parliament at Zagrab, their capital.

When the Peace Conference, was redrawing the map of Europe, in 1919, it displayed a tender solicitude for Serbia, because of fier terrible sufferings during the war, and as compensation she was allotted large pieces of territory which had belonged to her enemies. A largo slice of the Hungarian Banat was given her. ' Bosnia, Herzegovina, Novibazar, and Croatia were rent from Austria and given to her, and the little kingdom of Montenegro was absorbed in the new Serbia, which was given a new name — Jugoslavia. All went well for a time. These somewhat heterogeneous elements were kept in order and something liko unity while thei ancient Premier, M. Pashitch, lived. When his commanding personality "was removed, a few years ago, Jugoslavia's troubles began. Tho Croats under tho leadership of M. Paditch had been troublesome from tho creation of flie new State, but when the Grand Old Man of the Balkans—as M. Pashitch was fondly called—was removed, the Croats and their leader became a cause of serious unrest, since

their dissatisfaction had n tendency to spread to the other sections of the kingdom which, desirous of preserving their separate entities, objected to be governed from Belgrade. True, they wero all Slavs, or something like Slavs, but, far from desiring unity, they wished for autonomy, whether under the Serbian king or not. is not quite clear. Of course it was from these political elements that the Opposition in tho Skupstina, as the Jugoslavian parliament is called, was formed, and of. course they made themselves as disagreeable to tho Government as they could. Matters came to a head at the end of June, when the members of the Opposition were following their usual methods of obstruction by means of a fruitless discussion of the minutes of the last meeting. This so annoyed a Government supporter, M. Ratchitch, that he condemned tlio Opposition tactics from his seat. This led an opponent, M. Pernar, to call him a I scoundrel and a brigand. The. Deputy ! thus insulted called on the Speaker to allow him to defend himself from tho tribune, but, during the speech which lie delivered, M. Pernar continued to shout insults. Suddenly the insulted Deputy put his hand in his pocket, and drew a revolver. The Speaker immediately suspended the sitting. The Minister of Justice and another Deputy seized the infuriated M. Ratchitch's arm, but that demented individual shook himself loose, and cried, "Whoever stands between me and Pernar is a dead man, and almost simultaneously opened firo on tho Op- ' position benches. M. Stephen Raditch, tho Croatin leader received a bullet through the abdomen; M. Paul' Raditch, his nephew, was-shot through the lungs and died an hour later; M. Bassantchek was killed immediately. M. Pernar and M. Gariya received less serious wounds. The whole Skupstina was immediately cleared, tho wounded Deputies were taken 'to hospital, arid Cabinet met to consider the situation. The murderous Deputy escaped from the Chamber, but subsequently gave himself up to the Minister of the Interior. He is described as "a wild Montenegrin Serb, a hothead notorious for violent language. For several days he had been talking of the best means for putting an end to the obstruction of the parties of the Opposition, and openly recommended physical force." The two murdered Deputies wero buried at Zagrab,, and of course the occasion was turned into a huge demonstration, semipolitical in character, which was intended to show the Belgrade Government that Croatia's sympathies had become ecmpletely alienated, and that sho was bent on obtaining autonomy. Ever since the kingdom of Jugoslavia was formed, the Croats have demanded the management of their owrr affairs. Two years ago they wove joined by four other former Hapsburg provinces, and recently the Serbian Democrats declared themselves in favour of a revision of the Constitution, in order that those.sections of, the kingdom which desire to exercise self-government may be allowed to separate themselves from the tutelage o'f Belgrade. Now Croatia has taken the active stepiof declaring.through her Deputies, assembled at Zagrab,;her determination to govern- herself and has refused to obey the edicts of the Bel-, grade Government. The position is serious because any threatened disruption of a Balkan . State immediately causes repercussions in other Balkan States, and general unrest may . be created' in that inflammable peninsula. Any serious trouble there is bound to' excite the Soviet Government of Russia, which makes no disguise of its' intention to seize the province of Bessarabia, whenever Rumania is involved in war. And so, as in 1914, the Balkans may again become the means of breaking the peace of Europe. But tho League of Nations meets next month, and perhaps some means may be found at Geneva of uniting/ Croatia's desire for autonomy with unity under the Jugoslavian Crown.