Austria And Servia Are Near A Break.

New York Times 100 years ago today, November 20, 1912:
Servians and Montenegrins Give Further Offense by Occupying Alessio.
THREATENING NOTE IS SENT
Austria Demands a Precise Reply to All the Questions at Issue — Servians Deny Alleged Cruelties.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    LONDON, Wednesday, Nov. 20.— The Vienna correspondent of The Daily Mail telegraphs under yesterday's date:
    "There are indications to-night that the situation between Austria and Servia, which has been growing steadily worse from day to day, is nearing a climax.
    "Despite the urgent request of the Austrian Government to be allowed to enter into communication with its Consul, Herr Prochaska, at Prisrend, the Servian Government has hitherto taken no steps to re-establish connection between the Consul and his Government, and up to this afternoon had made no reply to the representations of Foreign Minister von Berchtold.
    "Unless satisfaction is forthcoming very soon the Vienna Cabinet will take energetic steps at Belgrade, at the same time making it clear to the Servian Premier that it can brook no further delay.
    "In the meanwhile! though every effort continues to be made in official circles to represent that the situation is not yet critical, it is clear that the Austro-Hungarian official world, now at Budapest, is fully prepared for things to take the worst possible turn.
    "The Emperor to-day received Count von Berchtold, and afterward Gen. von Schemua, head of the General Staff, who also had a long audience with the Duke of Avarna, the Italian Ambassador.
    "The Narody Listy, a Prague newspaper, reports that the Emperor said to a highly placed personage at Budapest yesterday: 'We are for peace, but not for peace at any price. We cannot put up with everything.' "
    According to a telegram from Budapest to The Morning Post, a rumor was current there last night that Austria-Hungary would to-morrow mobilize three army corps. On the other hand, Die Zelt's report of an ultimatum is not confirmed.
    Count von Berchtold's new statement to the Hungarian Delegation yesterday regarding Servia's remissness in not answering either Austria's note about her Adriatic harbor policy or the Austrian demand for free intercourse with Consul Prochaska at Prisrend was noticeably sharper than his speech on Monday.
    A Berlin dispatch to The Daily Telegraph indicates that Germany continues to hold back her ally, while a Rome telegram to The Morning Post suggests that Italy, despite the secret treaty entered into with Austria as to the Adriatic some years ago, will not give Austria unlimited support. Premier Giolitti has no desire, it is said, to bind Italy to follow the Austrian policy on the Servian question, and as the Premier has been since the war in Tripoli began, the real director of Italy's foreign policy, and his word is law. It is obvious that the Italian Government will do what he desires.
    A noticeable modification of the language of the Italian semi-official press in the last three or four days is regarded as proof of this change of' front. Don Leone Caetani, Prince di Teano, has joined in the chorus of opposition to Austria's policy as to Albania. After describing the present war as the final triumph of European civilization over the last vestiges of Asiatic barbarism on the Continent, he says:
    "The one discordant voice is that of Austria, the eternal trampler upon right and freedom."
    Addressing Premier Giolitti and the Foreign Minister, the Marquis di San Giuliano, he warns them thus:
    "If they have committed the grave error of compromising themselves in favor of Austria's policy of unjust aggression they would do well to reflect that all Italy is solid with the Serbs against Austria. The anti-Austrian sentiment which slumbers in even the mildest Italian is raised to-day with disquieting unanimity. Will those two statesmen dare to face the whole people? For us Italians a Servian or Bulgarian Albania is a guarantee against Austrian ambitions, while an autonomous Albania, Mussulman, savage, anarchical and opposed to all progress, as it would be, would mean leaving the door wide open to the Austrian peril and would be a constant menace to the peace of Europe and the interests of Italy."