lavia, and had Germany and
Austria won, a new constituent of Central Europe was to have been
inaugurated with its capital of Zagreb. The name Jugo-Slavia was
familiar to the Croats and popular with them before the Serbs adopted
it. The Croats think that because they are more educated than the
Serbs they should be the dominant party in the government of the new
State. The quarrel is aggravated by religious difference, Croats being
Roman Catholics and Serbs Orthodox. A number of the separatist
leaders, the chief of whom is Radic, an ex-bookseller, languish in
gaol. These are evidently self-centred people. If they think that
Europe would tolerate another independent Slav State with passports,
frontiers, tariffs, armies, and the rest, surely they are mad. And if
on the other hand, they would like to revert to ruined Austria and have
the value of all their money reduced ten times, surely they are not
very sane. Or if they think that they who suffered little should reap
the major benefits of the war-victory, they are certainly pitiable
egoists.

What is lacking in the new State is goodwill and the spirit of
co-operation. Serbia is terribly hampered by lack of loyalty in her
constituent elements. There is an impression of great uncertainty and
instability. The general bad health of Europe shows sharply at
Belgrade. The cost of living is irrationally high. There is something
of the atmosphere of Russia in 1916. Beggars swarm about the
restaurants and cafes. Cabmen, hawkers, and the poor hold one up for
absurd prices. The shops have odd sets of goods which seldom
correspond to one's desires. The value of the dinar fluctuates
violently, and offers golden opportunities to the many speculators.
The commonest trade-establishments are small banks and bucket-shops;
they range in fours and fives before the eyes. The Government is very
poor, and never feels out of financial difficulties. "We are always
faced with bankruptcy in three months," said Dr. Yannic in
conversation. The Government has been very hospitable to the Russians,
of whom it has almost 60,000 on its hands. It feeds them and tries to
place them where they can do work. It treated with Wrangel for the
establishment of 20,000 Cossacks to be planted along the marches of
Albania, and would have loved to have them, but has not as yet been
able to take them for lack of money. Serbia has done more for Russia
than any other nation.

"We've received not a