The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-04-24
THE EUROPEAN WAR CLOUD.

Europe is undergoing one of her periodical
political lamentations 1t seems that a
pamphlet the authorship of which is ac-
credited to Prince BISMARCK, has appeared
in Dresden, and is increasing the agitation
and excitement in relation to Europe's i'm
pending war. Whether or not Prince
BISMARCK wrote the pamphlet or inspired
it, there is no question, if the dispatches
which speak of it describe it accurately,
but what in treating of the main determin-
ing factors of European politics, it incorpo
rates the ideas by which the Iron Chan
cellor has been guided for the last
ten years in his treatment of
the international interests of Europe.
Those factors are, first French hatred of
Germany, the ever burning desire to wipe
out the disgrace of the invasion of Paris in
1870, and regain the lost province of
Alsace-Lorraine; second, Russia's tend
ency toward Constantinople The dis
patches mention one other factor in the
the pamphlet, viz: Italy's longing to re-
cover Trieste, now forming part of Hun
gariap territory. This we think is not
very weighty factor, not nearly so weighty
as England's fear of Russia's designs on
India, or Austria's jealousy of Russie's
prospective advancement into the territory
of the Balkans. The writer of the pam
phlet under consideration advocates
the disruption of the triple alliance
now existing between Germany, Austria
and Italy, openly asserting that Austria
ha pN
ship of Russia, and denying that Austria
in any sense is the natural ally of Ger
many. With Russia and Italy as allies, the
writer thinks Germany could abandon all
pretense at Cancellation with France that
France and Austria by such an arrange
ment would be absolutely isolated and al
together powerless, either separately or
together. That might possibly be if such
alliance were practical. There is no ques-
ton but that Russia is more desirable as
she is more powerful ally for
| Germany than Austria. But to secure
her is most likely out of the question
since she is doubtless pledged to France.
| One other factor the writer has evidently
not counted upon-England. England is
the traditional :enemy of Russia, and just
now jealous of Germany's rivalry in COM
merce, and would no doubt, take advan-
tage of any opportunity that might arise to
force an alliance with the powers which the
German pamphleteer would isolate and
render powerless that promised an oppor-
tunity to check Russia's march south or
east or cut down Germany's power as a
commercial rival. 1t is not 700 much to
sayethat England, France and Austria
would make coalition not to be trifed
with even by allied powers of Germany,
Russia and Italy.
War in Europe is doubtless inevitable
within the next five years. The tension
under which the nations are existing simply
cannot last. There will be a break some,
where. The support of vast armies and
splendid navies is pauperizing the ma
tons of Europe and the shot which will
make half the globe tremble will one day
be fired. War once on foot and Con alone
can forecast the results. All wars of the
past will sink into insignificance if the ma
tons of Europe should draw the sword to-
day.