l correspondent
tells us, from the assembled multitude; men fell on each other's necks,
laughed, wept and kissed each other.... Such manifestations must not
lead us to believe that all the internal problems of the young State are
settled. Croatia (as also Slovenia) is jealous of her separate identity,
suspicious to some extent of Serbia, her prestige and projects; she has
no intention of allowing herself, after the hard fight against
Magyarization, to be "Balkanized." But one thing was made clear by the
Prince's visit: there can be no word or thought of separation.

* * * * *

We have spoken of the disaffection prevalent among the Croats, and on
this the world has fixed its eyes, because of the large number of Croat
deputies who have hitherto declined to come to Belgrade. Nevertheless
there is a more general and more grievous discontent in Yugoslavia,
since, after all, the Croats' attitude is of a temporary character--for
it is probable that after the next general election their peculiar
upbringing will not be so potent in determining their sentiments
towards the State. More and more will they be ready to make common cause
with Serbs and Slovenes; and their criticisms, which are now so
negative, will be of a more useful kind. (They will recognize, for
example, that if it costs 3000 dinars to open an inn in Serbia they were
not justified in protesting when the fee in Croatia was raised from 5
crowns to 5 dinars.) That Yugoslavia gives ground for criticism no one,
least of all her well-wishers, deny. And those who pray that she will
prosper do so for the reason that the scattered Southern Slavs have for
the first time now been able--most of them at any rate--to link their
arms together; and we hope that with high qualities outweighing their
defects the Southern Slavs will permanently take their place among the
nations. But this will not be brought about unless those ailments which
they suffer from are now confronted. Serbs themselves are often saying
that their little Serbia was better than this fine new country which is
thrice as large. She had fewer problems, she had fewer parties, and if
people were corrupt they were so on a smaller scale. Traditions which
are deprecatingly called Balkan, but which were at that time suited to a
Balkan country, should not be allowed to spread across a country which
is so much more than Balkan. Merit does not everywhere in this imperfect
world advance you