Old, Out

Premier Nikola Pashitch tendered his resignation and that of his Cabinet to King Alexander, advising His Majesty to call for a new election. Thus, a laconic despatch from Belgrade.

Why is the Government resigning at this time? The despatch was silent. In March, 1923 (TIME, March 31, 1923), the last general election was held for the Narodna Skupshtina (National Assembly) and no further election is constitutionally due until 1927. But the patriarchal Premier has been experiencing much opposition both within and without Parliament. Ever since the 70 Croatian Agrarians consented to sit in the Assembly, in April of this year, the old Premier's position has become more and more difficult, and it is not surprising that he has decided to refer the issues to the country, albeit reluctantly.

The chief matter to be settled is whether or not Croatia is to have "autonomy." Under the able leadership of Raditch, "Stormy petrel of the Balkans," the Croatians have persistently demanded their freedom and the Serbs have with equal persistence denied it to them. In the last election the Croatians secured 70 seats in the Skupshtina; this year they may do better. If they should win, another section of Yugo-Slavia (South Slavia) must be granted its freedom.

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But elections are somewhat of a farce in the Balkans, and they are probably conducted with more dishonesty in Yugo-Slavia than in any other part of that unhappy peninsula.

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Nikola Pashitch, who is part Bulgarian, recently celebrated his 80th birthday. For some 55 years he has devoted himself to the service of his country. In 1881 he conceived the idea of a Greater Serbia, became co-founder with the Greek leader, Eleutherios Venizelos, of the Balkan League, and with him hatched many a scheme for extending the frontiers of Serbia and Greece. With the signing of peace in 1918 his dreams were realized. Serbia grew into the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata, i Slovenaca), but he found himself faced with opposition from Montenegrins and Croatians, who strongly objected to this arbitrary disposition, to some extent upon religious grounds. Old Serbia is preponderantly Orthodox Catholic; Croatia and Montenegro preponderantly Roman Catholic.

With all his faults and ambitions Pashitch is a picturesque old man and has earned for himself by his labors the title: "Grand Old Man of Serbia." He hopes to live to see prosperity brought to the Balkans. He seems to have a good chance, for his father lived to the grand old age of 103.

Last year a young Serbian bank clerk tried to assassinate him (TIME, July 9, 1923). To make a repetition of this act more difficult, he now rides about Belgrade, capital of Yugo-Slavia, in an automobile with opaque glass windows.