The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

provinces remain unredeemed and the AustroHungarian danger persists? What assistance and protection can Bosnia and Hercegovina find in a Serbia completely exhausted in men and finances. Poor and so sorely tried in the war, Bosnia and Hercegovina would only be a new burden for Serbia. To find peace and prosperity, Serbia has need of every province inhabited by Serbs. But she cannot be separated from the Croats, as: first, it would be impossible to draw the line of division between them; and secondly, if they be constituted as two separate States, all their energies would be sapped by mutual jealousies. The division so cunningly fostered between them by Austria-Hungary would be sanctioned by Europe and made permanent. Instead of presenting a united front to the common enemy, they would enfeeble themselves in mutual strife, and fall an easy prey to a foreign conqueror. Only an arch enemy of both the Serbs and the Croats could propose to divide them into two independent States on the basis of religion. Such an independence would prove a dangerous gift and a diabolical snare for the freedom and very existence of both of them. The Slovenes and the Croats realise this perfectly, and many among them are the most eager advocates of unity pure and simple with Serbia.

The present war is also for the Serbo-Croats the last phase in the long struggle with the Magyars. It is self-evident that Serbia cannot

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