Page:Diplomacy and the War (Andrassy 1921).djvu/39

 in the whole of the Moroccan question. Nothing but English support of the Triple Alliance could have altered Italy's attitude, because, in view of the long coastline and the oversea demands of Italy, she was not in a position to oppose the group of States which had the unchallenged supremacy on the sea. Once England associated herself with the Dual Alliance, Italy turned more decidedly towards the Entente.

The total result of the Moroccan crisis was a new spirit of hatred and resentment; in fact, the fire had been prepared which needed but a match to set it alight.

The Balkan question became more dangerous than ever at this time, because Serbia began to pursue a Pan-Serbian policy under Russian influence.

How did this happen?

The Russian Government knew that, so long as Serbia was under her influence, the Monarchy would stand as it were between two fires, and that those orthodox Serbs who lived within our borders would be subject to Czarist influence. Every Russian politician must have known that the pursuance of a Pan-Serbian policy under the direction of the Czar was a challenge to the very existence of Austria-Hungary. The integrity of the Monarchy was attacked by this policy in the very spot in which this integrity was of special value, because it endangered our one and only path to the sea.

If Russia did not wish to attack Austria-Hungary, Serbia, which was so far distant from her, was of no