The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

to be menaced by new storms from that ever stormy quarter.

Of course, owing to her inborn weakness she must again be subservient to Germany, or she may change the direction and choose another mighty protector. Instead of Berlin she may turn to Petrograd and try a new combination, always in pursuit of the old aim of oppression. The victims may be changed: instead of the Slavs, the Germans, the Magyars, and the Latins may now be oppressed, but European peace and liberties would gain nothing by it. Germany, and perhaps reactionists in Russia, may desire Austria to be spared as offering them the best opportunity for armed intervention and conquest ; but can the maintenance of Austria-Hungary be in the interest of democratic Great Britain, France, and Italy ?

There is no fear that Germany will increase her strength by incorporating the purely German provinces in Austria. According to official statistics for 1910 the German-speaking population in Austria numbered 9,171,614, but of this Germany cannot incorporate more than 7,000,000, inhabiting Lower and Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Carinthia, and Tirol; as strong German minorities must be incorporated with Italy, free Bohemia, Poland, and new Serbia. More than two million Germans living in Hungary would remain in the Magyar national State or go to Roumania and Serbia. The military power

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