The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1913. A KING'S DILEMMA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 272, 9 April 1913, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1913. A KING'S DILEMMA.

King Nicholas of Montenegro is on the horns of a dilemma. He has to choose between obeying the mandate of the Powers and incurring the displeasure of I his own people, with almost certain deposition to follow in cither case. A generation or two ago the democrats of the world would have mude merry over the spectacle of a ruling monarch in such a desperate fix. To-day the world is more sympathetic and is more likely to condole with the Montenegrin monarch. His lot is indeed a most memorable one. He plunged into the war with a kind of reckless impetuosity that won him admiration for a time; but he soon found out that conducting a regular campaign was a very difl'erent thing from "sniping" isolated Turks behind their backs, or fighting them single-handed in street brawls as had been the wont of his hardy mountaineers. The Montenegrin is a very picturesque figure, as he swaggers along, with the air of a lord of creation, and with a whole arsenal of weapons slung about his person; but in field warfare, with big guns and quickfiring rifles, courage, and strength count for comparatively little. Hence King Nicholas, who is discreet as well as valorous, some time ago showed symptoms of a desire to abandon a campaign that had cost him dearly in the lives of many soldiers. The "power behind the throne" promptly gave him to understand, however, that lie must prosecute the war to the bitter end, and plainly intimated to him that if he did not do so his kingship would not be worth an hour's purchase. Since then, Nicholas has thrown discretion to the winds, and has made an amazing show of valor. He has prosecuted the siege of Scutari with redoubled vigor; he has defied the threats of Austria and the ultimatum of the Powers, and has declared that he is determined to keep the territory be lias conquered and to make Scutari his capital. Even with a joint fleet of the Great Powers making a demonstration on the coast, and with a strong Austrian army massed on the frontier, ostensibly for manoeuvres, the King of Montenegro is stoutly asserting his rights and appealing to the world to see that justice is done to him. It is to be feared that his splendid display of patriotic determination will not avail him. Unfortunately, might is still right in international affairs, and a weak kingdom has no chance of justice when its claims come into conflict with the interests of a powerful one. Austria, for reasons of her own, has decreed that Scutari must not fall to the lot of Montenegro, and the Great Powers have lent their weight to the strong side. The Powers are probably right; for they evidently recognise that they must either connive at Austria's bullying tactics or plunge all . Europe into war. None the less, it is a piece of gross in justice to Montenegro, and must in the long run bring its retribution. 'No question is ever settled until it is settled right, and there can be no permanent' peace in, south-eastern Europe as a result ot r compromise based on injustice and imposed by force. In the meantime, however, King Nicholas must choose upon which horn he will be impaled. If he resists the Powers, he will of course be crushed into submission and perhaps be deprived of his cvown for his recalcitrancy. If, on the other hand, lie submits, he will have to reckon with his own people, who will almtist certainly wreak ' their wrath on him by deposing him. It looks as though the hawked moutrchJias made up his mind to go down fighting, if he must go down. In this way he will make an effective protest against injustice, will i eta in the affection of his people, and v PI live in-history as an heroic l ! ';.ire. It is a very deplorable situation, ai:d one that reflects as little credit on the .Great lowers of Europe as their former dealings with the Balkan States.