New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-23
LOGIC OF EUROPEAN ARMAuENTS


LOGTC or EUROPEAN ARMANENTS
II is an ominous sign of the times that the
military ornaments of Europe are steadily
increasing. In Russia the term OF service ~
IN he reduced from six TO three years, so thaI
much larger number of recruits may be en-
listed without additional expense. In Austro-
Hungary and Italy the war budgets are heaV-
ier each wear than they were the last. II
England has regained her influence as one OF
the Great Powers of the Continent She mas
learned that prestige can not he had without
paying for it. Germany has 100000 men IN
the standing army, 0SO,oOO men III
the landwehr and 100000 men III the lahu-
sturm, so that in war time she can mus
fer 100000 men who have received
q military training; and yet this enOr-
mons host is not considered large enough to pro-
tect her borders! Bismarck has ALREADY
drained the revenues in order to MAINTAIN
military expenditures on the present scaIe'
but he confidently expects to derive large
surplus from the Tariff Act, and this VIII
enable him to put a few more regiments IN
the field. Across the Rhine the nation which
paid war indemnity of $1,000 100000 sub
mts cheerfully to the strain of a similar MIL
tary system. Budgets which the Ministers OF
Napoleon III. would never have ventured to
Law before the Chamber are voted without de-
bate. and the Liberal leaders take 1t Tor
granted that, whether the Government be I'm
perial or Republican, the youth OF the country
must be trained to military service and habits
of obedience, and taught to imblbe martial
spirit.
These enormous military establishments are
regarded throughout Europe as intolerable
burdens, and yet as necessary evils. How has
this come to pass2 If we look back we shall
find that twenty years of diplomacy have
brought the Continent to its present plight
When the peace of Europe was menaced by the
Danish complications the London Conference
settled the succession upon Prince Christian
but it was not many years before the treaties
were violated and the Duchies absorbed. Be
fore the Danish expedition was planned the
Polish insurrection had called forth remon-
strances from Great Britain, France and Aus
tria. and Bismarck's diplomatic tact was first
displayed in preventing European interyen-
tion. In like manner GortschaSoff looked on
while Bismarck defed England and duped
Austria; and when in the course OF the Schles-
vig-Holstcin complications the treaty break
cfs Guarrellcd over the spoils, ii was Napoleon
III. who enabled Prussia to have her VIII
after Sadowa That crowned intriguer had
entered upon the Italian campaign under
n contract by which ne was TO get two prov
inces. He expected TO make as much out OF
his neutrality during Bismarck's war as he
had out of his own campaign, but he was dis
appointed. In his chagrln he dragged France
into war for which she was ill-prepared,
and again Gortschakof served Bismarcks pur-
nose by REFRESHING the uneaSiness Of Austria
and enforcing the neutrality of the Powers.
In those years of blood and iron the masters
of European diplomacy acted upon the princi-
nle that a bad as well as a good turn deserved
another. The reverence for the old traditions
Of European accord passed away. 1t became
the supreme effort of diplomacy to isolate the
action of the Powers and TO bring the moral
force of Europe to naucht How often was
the map of the Continent Tecast! Yet it was
not until last year that its revision was or
dercd and sanctioned by n European Council.
Even then a bargain had been struck Ill al
vance and the decisions of the Congress VIZ
tually anticipated by the glo-Russian
agreement. Nor was this all. Before the
final draft was engrOssed another secret
treaty was brought to light, and scarcely was
the ink of the signatures dry before it was
generally admitted that the new charter of
European peace was imperative, and that the
Eastern Question was still open.
1t is SAFE therefore, to conclude that if
Europe has become a circle of camps and the
French Republic vast barrack, it is because
treaty obligations have lost their sanctity
owing to the demOralzng influences of the
diplomacy of recent years. Talleyrand's good
Europeans who were loyal to the public law
of the Continent have disappeared. New
tangled notions respecting localized wars"
convenient neutrality" and "imperial inter-
ests" have taken the place of the Old-fash-
toned respect for treaty law. Each nation is
unwilling to disarm because physical force
counts for so much and moral force for so
little in the Europe Of to-day.
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WHAT ARE We DOING'
Last year when the record of death and