The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGM0NT SETTLER. MONDAY, JUNE 23, 1913. AUSTRIA’S RULE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 40, 23 June 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, JUNE 23, 1913. AUSTRIA’S RULE.

The condition of the southern Slav in Austria and Hungary is further discussed by Mr Harry Baerlin in the “Fortnightly,” in an article which deals with the formation of a Slav kingdom, called the kingdom of Illyria, embracing Dalmatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Slavonia, Caruiola, etc., an idea which German-speaking Austrians are now prepared to discuss. In Croatia, a land peopled almost entirely by the Slavs, the inhabitants are made to feel how much their masters hate each other. From the disputes that rage between thej Magyars and the Slavs, it is the Austrians who derive advantage. The Government of Hungary is oppressive] to the Slavs. But even if Austrians] do not stir up the Croats, they well | know that what the Croats are about! is not displeasing to them. When] the hands of Hungary are so much I occupied, the task of Austria is made more easy. The Magyars are said to lie steadily losing ground in Croatia and Slavonia ; also, because of the unpopularity of .their commercial representatives, in Bosnia. The fact is the Dual Monarchy is rent in twain. As to whether or not Austrian rule is popular, speaking in general, Mr Baerlin says it would be more accurate to speak of the Utopian mildness than of the despotic nature of Dr. HU inski, who is responsible for their government, and in his native Poland ns.'.l to be a professor of political | economy. Summing up, the writer says: The Southern Slavs in AustriaHungary do not belong to the unhappy races of the world. It is true that they are part of a Teutonic-Magyar realm, hut though the Slav lias reached proficiency in various arts, ho never has excelled, save for the briefest intervals, in that of governing. The Poles are a more normal instance than the Russians, for these latter have a government which is loss Slav

than Gorman-Mongol. Those in Aus-j tria-Hungary who are the worst off ai'O undoubtedly the Croats, iuit with, all their grievances they know that they are better off than are the Slavs of Russian Poland or the Ukraine. Also they are better off than if they formed a. little Balkan State, whose army is so burdensome for those who pay the taxes and whose interest on foreign loans is so much higher. Probably the large majority of Croats would not think these disadvantages are compensated by the glory of exchanging alien for native tyrants every governor is more or less a tjrant, and a Slav one usually more so.