Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-01-18

The German Empire was born Of success
ful war, and it has for seven years dominated
in Europe and it is because of Germany's
patronage Of Russia that the latter Is able to
have her will in the East Thus, ever since
1913, there has been no year when the
great European Powers were not either
lighting, or threatening to fight, or giving
Indications that they were making ready to
fight. More than one great contest was but
Just ayeTted and four great contests were
carried on. All this followed from disregard
of that balanee-of- power principle which had
commanded much respect from 1915 to 1913.
When the Franco German war closed, it was
seen that the state of Europe had been ut
terly changed, and that only two of the Six
Powers-ltaly had been added to the brother
hoOd-were in reality free to act, as all had
been free to act in the proceeding generation.
Germany and Russia were the SuperiorS.
and the Interiors were Austria and Italy,
France and England Russia asserted her
equality with Germany, by refusing to
permit the latter to make a second invasion
OF France, while Eng land, Italy and Austria
had no voice in the matter. The complete
Humiliation OF France had removed what
ever Of force had been left to Western
and Southern Europe after the conquest
of Austria in 1866, and Italy had become
| mere bob in the tail OF the German
kite. England's craven course, in 1870, had
removed even the slightest hope for a
change; and To that display of timid selfish
ness her present strange state is due, as she
so ordered matters as to render it impossible
that she should have strong friend on the
continent. The balance of power may have
been poor thing, as many persons say it
was, but there is the fact thai while it was
regarded, the condition of Europe was one
OF comparative repose, during which every
country there made much progress, morally
and materially. Perfection can be claimed
for no period, but it can positively be assert
ed that the mass of European mankind were
never in better state than that which was
theirs in the three-and-thirty years that
closed in 1913. Since the Winter of 1913,
Europe has never known three years OF com
parative quiet, or anything like it. There has
been constant agitation among the principal
nations, and the business world and the work
itS "oIld Ei'c suutTtu iTOm tnt prevalence
of evils that have flowed from the am
bition of sovercigns and statesmen. 1t is
not denied that there has been great pro-
gres5 made since 1913, but not only has
much of the improvement" known been
devoted to the science of war and the arts of
destruction, but the inventions and works of
earlier years have been impressed into wars
service. and made its most powerful agen-
cies, Nothing has done more to make
great war easy than the railway and the
electric telegraph works to the same end.
Steam navigation also promotes the occur
renee OF gigantic contests. The cost of
maintaining peace is greater than formerly
was the cost of waging war; and the mind
of man is more bent upon the development
of force than it is upon that ordinary bust
ness upon the successful prosecution of which
the worlds welfare so largely depends. The
disturbers of peace would gladly promote
peace, would nations but submit to them;
but European nations never long have sub
mitted to the overshadowing supremacy Of
any one of their number, and probably they
never will submit to it. 1t follows that
there must be more great wars. with what
result, who shall say.-BoSton Trareller.