Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-01-12
THE PEACE OF EUROPE
Maintained Apparently. cn,y By 4

lne PENCe OF eUNOP8
Maintained Apparently, Cnty By the
Exhibition of Overwheln.ing Force.
The autumnal military maneuvers in
Europe this year, says the Youths Com.
panion, doubtless marked the highest
attainment In the science of war that
the world has ever seen. Europe has
never before been so thoroughly pre-
pared for general war. Nor does
military development show any sign
of suspension; new military inventions
are continually being met with newer
ones to combat and cancel them.
In the present year, for instance,
there has been marked development
In the science of military balloOnlng.
and the resulting problem of constfucti
Ing cannon which shall be effective IN
reaching and destroying an cnemy'n
balloons IL occupying the attention OF
experts in gunncry. Il
Meantime there are no outward indi!
cations that the peace of Europe will
soon be disturbed. Indeed, during O.
great part Of this year, the prospect Of
war has seemed to he reccding. In no
year since the war between France
and Germany In 1901 has the gen,
eral condition of Europe been more
peaceful.
Much mischief would have to he done,
however, to overthrow the good effect
Of the recent public declaration on the
part of the governments of Russia and
Germany, the sincerity of which has not
been doubted.
There have been. moreover signs In
all quarters that the princes and
statesmen of Europe IRE kccnly aware
of the frightful responsibility of pro-
voking or melting war under the pres
ent destructive conditions. II IL not to
be supposed that any potcntnte or
statesman favors or desires Il warlike
declaration.
More than that. the tendency Of
popular feeling IL toward peace. 1t IL
well known. and avowcd openly, that
the French people look forward to q
war with Germany for the rc.conquest
Of Alsace and Lorraine rs u necessity
Of the future; but certain recent Incl
dents indicate that neither Frcnchmen
nor Germans IRE In haste for blood
shed between the two countries.
On the French and German frontier
there have been recently friendly
meetings Of French and German
troops. One OF these was In connec.
ton with the transfer Of the rcmains
of some Of the German dead Of the wan
OF 1870 from French to German soil.
ON this occasion the remains of the Ger.
man dead were escorted to the frontier
by the French with military honors!
and the men Of the two armies frutcrn-
lied with apparent complete fricndli,
ness.
On the occasion of another and more
recent meeting on the frontier, between
French ana German soldiers, the GER
mans raised In French the shout Of
"BonjOur, camcradcs. or Good day,
comradcs!" ana the French responded,
the soldiers Of the two armies imme-
diatcly engaging In hearty handshak-
mig.
Such incidents must not be taken as
indicating too much. but they arc one
sign among many Of the popular weari-
ness of the continual threatening Of
war. 1t IL probable that the day has
gone by when the warlike proyocations
raised by an ambitious ana Unscrupu-
lOus prince or statesman would he an
swered by immediate fiery, popular de,
mands for war.
Internally, the European countries
are very little disturbed. Civil war has
been threatened In tho new states OF
Servia and Bulgaria over governmental
problems. but the danger appears to
have passed. Anarchistlc disturbances
In Italy have been suppressed.
In other countries the attempts OF
anarchists and other revolutionary dis
turbcrs take the form merely Of isolat-
cd crimes.
On the whole, the piping times OF
peace" seem to have been developed
somewhat unexpectedly out of the uni.
vcrsal preparation for and menace of
war.