The Times correspondent at Vienna reports that an authoritative Russian
communication as to the nature of the
recent conferences between M. Isvolsky and Baron von Aehrenthal was published in the Politische Correspondenz on Monday. The instructions recently issued to the Austro- Hungarian and Russian representatives in Athens, Sofia, and Belgrade as to affairs in Macedonia are said to be a proof of the perfect understanding between the two Powers. Russia and Austria-Hungary have by no means entrusted to the Balkan States alone the task of correcting the false interpretation of Clause III. of the Miirzsteg programme. They have taken measures themselves to inform the Mace- donian people. Clause III., we may say, provides for the revision of boundaries in Macedonia in closer agreement with existing racial distinctions. There is no doubt a fairly com- plete understanding now between Russia, Austria-Hungary, Britain, and Italy as to Macedonian reform. But we note that the Russian Press is displeased with the warnings that have been conveyed to the Bulgarians and Servians. It is idle, however, to talk of the "humiliation of Slav peoples." The Greek bands doubtless have behaved worse than the others in Macedonia, but all have been bad enough; and it was necessary that all should know that they cannot be allowed to profit by their own arbitrary tamperings with racial boundaries.
