The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-18


The pope's peace plan proposes the dis
armamen: OF Europe. tn. pope's PROPOSE
ton will probably not b accepted by the
poSers OF Europe and yet il is the only
really sound, sane solution OF the present
situation Of an armed peace. bristling
with steadily increasing forest Of bayo-
nets. 1t Is true today that Europe is at
peace. In March, 1875. the provisional
treaty Of San ssefano was agreed
upon, and since tina. time. for NJ
teen years. there has been no war be-
tween important nations or civilized lands.
For longer period than has been OBJ
served before during the present century
or during the past 100 years. there mas
been no var Of first importance in Europe.
The longest previous period Of reace in EE-
roFe was from 1915 TO ISIS; this peace foi'
lowed Waterloo. The twenty-five years OF
constant battle that preceded Waterloo had
cost the nations of Europe 5.0OOO.oO
and 2,0c0.O0 OF lives. The thirteen years
of peace that followed was due TO the mill
tarY and financial exhaustion Of Europe.
Tna Crimean war of 1916; the Franco
Austrian war Of 1859 cost the participants
600, Oo, 90 and SO. 90 lives. The Austro-
Prussian war Of 1866 and the Franco-Gcr-
man war of 1870. and the Russo Turkish
war Of Is77-75 cost Europe more than
$1,000 0oo. 40 and more tnan ZOO, 900 lives.
Since 1878 peace has been maintained.
but only by maintaining enormous sand
ing armies. Germany's peace establish
ment is nearly $4,000 men and her en-
peror is bending every nerve to persuade
his parliament to increase it: France has
. peace establishment of $4,000 men.
while Ruysia's peace establishment is over
500 600 men. The German parliament has
army. the leader of the opposition blunt!y
answering the appeal to his patriotism by
saying: ut is useless 10 expect hungry
man TO be patriotic" In other words, the
military taxation in time Of peace has be-
come so wearisome in Germany that the
people no longer respond to tho plea that
Germany must put moro men on war
footing in order to be secure against the
increased military strength Of France and
Russia" In Italy the oppressive military
taxation threatens to bankrupt the govern
ment.
There are increasing signs in Germany
and Italy that miiitarism is breeding
socialists and anarchists in large numbers.
War between any Of the great powers of
Europe today would cost an enormous
sum. Her war with Germany cost France
$1,000, 100000, including the indemnity
paid Germany. War today would be
vastly more expensive, for all the i'm
proved appliances of modern warfare en-
tail great additional cost. The money
cost Of war and the lack Of the sinews Of
war restraints Russia. Germany and France
from forcing conflict, and yet the dread
Of being caught unprepared keeps enor-
nous standing armies on foot at a cost
which will not always he borne patiently
by the tax-paying millions of the people.
Nobody wants war and yet everybody is
ready for war in Europe. and the miiitar-
ism Of this armed peace IL growing to be
dangerous to the security Of the state. for
il is wearing out the patriotism of the peo-
pie. IL is dangerous to go forward; 1t is
dangerous to go back, and it is dangerous
to stand still, and so Pope Leo makes a
very timely and sensible suggestion when
ne says: "Why not all disarm9 Estab-
lish neutral zones and devote yourselves
with released and renewed energy to the
arts of peace. whose victories are more
valuable than those Of war" After Water
loo the neutrality of Switzerland and Bel
GUM was guaranteed. and under the
disarmament proposed by Pope Leo larger
zones would be established. A general
disarmament would greatly reduce taxa
ton. would return thousands of sturdy
youths to the ranks Of peaceful. produc-
tive labor, and would reduce the strength
of insurrectionaiy elements among tho
people.
The proposition Of the pore will, how
ever. not he adopted in our day: the pros
psci is that vast war will break out in
Europe before the end Of the century. or
il this does not take place We shalt see
violent domestic discussions. conseqnen,
upon the unbroken imposition OF burden
some mii,arism upon the people OF
Europe. M.tiiarism will in time wear out
patriotism, and when patriotism DECAYS
the German empire will be in danger
from foes from within ss we'll "a ises fror,
without. War would be expensive and
dangerous; armed peace is expensive and
dangerous, too, because ii IS an oppressive
breeder Of popular discomfort. General
disarmament would he wise. hu. ii is no,
likely 10 be adopted. Continental Europe
will not disarm. and because she will no,
We may expect war or domestic discussion
rsslng 10 revelation before many years
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