The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF

nation in Austria and giving over to their rule all the other nationalities in Hungary. Thus, in 1867, Austria-Hungary appeared in the new form of the present Dualism, in which the Germans and the Magyars combine in the subjugating and exploiting all the other races. It is that policy which has brought about the conditions which are at the root of the present world-struggle and the direct causes of the war in so far as Austria-Hungary was a partner to it.

In summing up this short historical survey of Southern Slav relations with Austria~-Hungary we may say that whatever were the failings, shortcomings and deficiencies of the Southern Slav heroes who fought the Turks at Kossovo, and of all their succeeding generations down to the present one, they have atoned for them by their valiant fight through centuries for the Christian Faith and national liberty. That ideal so strongly possessed the Serbian soul that they thought no sacrifice too great in its service. I they abandoned their fertile fields and old homes and exiled themselves in their numbers to the north it was always in the steadfast pursuit of the same old ideal preached by the Church, sung by the bards and handed down from generation to generation. They fought and hoped to see that ideal realised in a loyal union with Austria and Hungary, but all their hopes were blighted by the greedy exploitation of a German dynasty and the brutal oppression of overbearing haughty

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