THE SERVIAN REGICIDES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13832, 20 February 1907, Page 5

THE SERVIAN REGICIDES

DEPUTIES ATTACKED IN THE STREETS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. BELGRADE, February 18. ■Three regicides attacked several Servian deputies in the streets in Belgrade, dangerously wounding one, because their newspaper organ continuously attacked the regicides and the Court, Thero is every indication of an approaching crisis in Servia. A "diplomatic correspondent." of the Pail Mall Gazette recently stated lluit "Ihe withdrawal of most of the influential regicides from King Peter's party has, apparently, developed into an ' understanding' between the leaders of both the late factions jn order to bring about the expulsion of the Karageorgievitch dynasty. I understand,, however, that, a coup d'etat is not tho least likely. Indeed, agreement between the hitherto rival factions renders anything of tho kind unnecessary from the rnturo of tl|o ease. Onco King Peter's supporters ceaso to Go his supporters, and tho abdieotion of tho King and tho complete overthrow of his dynasty liecomo matters which the King himself would bo tho first for safety's sake to accede to. Ont-ido the ring of tho regicides he has neither friends nor favour; and it may be presumed that, anyone in his well-known financial position would gladly accept a reasonable pension in return for tlio abandonment of any rights or pretensions to tho Grown. No one wants bloodshed. Servia is' determined to act in a constitutional and bnsiiieesliko spirit, in tho present, crisis; but slip has a. weightier matter to consider than' tlio /disappearance of King Peter and his family. What is to bo the future? It has been suggested that- tho Crown, having been offered 'to King Edward A" 11, was refused. It is not easy to understand this report. No ono will believe that our King could have been anproachod in the matter excent as head of his family: and it is no move likelv that, if approached in that manner and in that capacity he would do more than refiiso to discuss the fiuestion at such a juncture. Delieafo as this sort of ground is, wo have to realise that Servia means to find a King", and Knirland cannot afford tc pretend that it docs not mailer to her who the King of Servia is. As a matter of fact, it is of tho ntmost importanco to our position in tho Kear Ea,\l. We may be assured that (he Servians will form a Council of Regency, and thus proceed in a perfectly correct, manner to approach whatever Court in I'.nropo thev may ullimatolv chooso to malco formal overtures to. Certainly no ono realises more fully than do responsible Servians the impossibility of formally negotiating before the present regime has been constitutionally dispensed with; and all reports of any contrary uroecdure may be confidently reject cd."