The Sun THURSDAY, JULY 28, 1914. THE AUSTRO-SERVIAN TROUBLE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 147, 28 July 1914, Page 6

The Sun THURSDAY, JULY 28, 1914. THE AUSTRO-SERVIAN TROUBLE.

It is reported to-day by Reuter that fighting is going on between the Austfians and Servians on the Danube, and although it was unconfirmed at the time of writing, it does not seem possible that war can be averted. The German Emperor might, if he chose, pull Austria up with a sharp turn by intimating that he could not follow her into a European war, but that,.of course, would break up the Triple Alliance.. Austria would have no further use for an arrangement that only worked one way. Germany has frequently made it clear that the alliance is necessary to her, and if she desires to enjoy its benefits she must be prepared to concede as much to the other parties. Consequently, if Austria decides that war with Servia and Russia is necessary in order to further her foreign policy, Germany cannot avoid participation, however reluctant she may be to take the field. It goes almost without saying that England's influence willjbe exerted in the cause of peace. Nor can there be much desire in France to fight about a question that concerns the Slav nations, and nobody else. The spectacle of Germany and Austria in the field against Russia and the Slav States in the Balkans would certainly excite the war fever in France to a datigerous pitch, and create the impression that the time was opportune for attacking Germany, but that would not be a sufficient incentive to move the people of Great Britain, who have everything to gain by keeping out of the trouble if it is possible to do so. The very idea of war is a nightmare to British statesmen, who are much more squeamish on the matter than the men who control the affairs of nations like Austria and Russia. These two countries are still decidedly mediaeval in their readiness to sacrifice the lives of thousands of their fellow* countrymen in pursuance of political aims. Yet the Agadir crisis of 1911 showed that even the British Government was prepared to go to war with Germany, to resist a line of policy that was supposed to be detrimental to Franco-British interests, and the obligation to do so again cannot very well be less now than it was then.