gathered facts about him, and had more than one dispute with Machar, whose opinion of Conrad was more favourable than mine. In the army I had a number of acquaintances and friends who had passed through the Vienna military academy and were thus able to explain to me the whole composition of the Austro-Hungarian forces and of the higher command. And I was well-informed of Austrian military designs.
Why did I do all this? Thoughtful people might have gleaned the reason from the constant interest I took in the problem of revolution, and from my views on historical and natural rights in conjunction with the problem of what constitutes real democracy. On this account I came into conflict with the Government party, and also with our Radicals in regard to tactics. I could not tell them why the question of revolution interested me so deeply and, indeed, disquieted me; for I expected circumstances to arise in which I should have to settle the question practically; and I confess that I hoped the cup would pass from me. I may have been unjust to our Radicals in connection with the “Youth” movement, for it was a beginning, a first essay which exerted a certain educational influence. In principle, I still disagree with Radicalism; for an experienced man, who is capable of historical and political thought, draws his programme from the observation and study of contemporary history and carries it out consistently. A political man, a statesman, goes his own way and puts his ideas into practice, whereas Radicals are often as blind as Reactionaries. Both do the opposite of what their opponents do, and live by contrariness. Neither did nor do I believe in the so-called “golden mean,” the unthinking policy and tactics of living from hand to mouth.
It was because I knew the Slav world, and the Southern Slavs and Russia in particular, that I came into collision with Aehrenthal[1] over the Balkan policy of Austria-Hungary. For our current Slavism I had little liking. The pro-Slav “twaddle”—as Neruda once called it—was repugnant to me; and I could not stand the “patriots” and “Slavophils” who had not even learned the Russian alphabet and were obliged to speak German with Russians and with foreigners generally. I remember vividly how angry my nearest colleagues were when I began a discussion on the Slovak question and gave much space to it in the “Naše Doba” and in the “Čas.” To me, an abstract and narrow political allegiance and patriotism,
- ↑ Count Aehrenthal, Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister 1906–1912.
