The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-12-16

Pitile IS Europe Looks ON with EQnanimity
Apparently No Thought of Interfering
Half Million Armenians Are Starry
ing.
London, December 14.-The expected,
indeed the inevitable, has happened in
Constantinople this week, and the Tur-
kish situation remains unaltered in any
essential particular. Massacres of Chris
tians throughout the empire continue in
greater number than ever, but on a
smaller SCALE and the European powers,
satisfied with the empty victory they
have gained in the matter of additional
guard ships. look on with equanimiby and
no thought of interfering. The Chris
tian Armenian race in Asia Minor is
doomed. Few Of tie half million human
beings, already destitute, starving, and
at the mercy of implaoable fanaticism,
will survive the winter according to the
present outlook. The boasted concert of
the powers instead of being their protec-
tion, is their death warrant. Nothing but
the rupture Of this beautiful harmony Of
the nations can save them. Nothing ap-
parently can cause any change in this
serene attitude of Christendom except
a great awakening OF the national con-
science in England or elsewhere, which
will compel some government to risk the
grave dangers which independent action
| involves.
There is no sign anywhere of such re-
yival Of militant virtue All Europe is
| pitilesS and stony hear ted Pity which
costs nothing and help which drains only
superfuous pence may bo had in abund-
ant measure in this country, for any in
different cause, especially il it AFFORDS an
| opportunity for the am bilious middle
| classes to get in social touch with the
| aristocracy. The Salisbury government
and its newspaper exponents have sue
ceeded in creating n popular belief that
any interference on behalf of the i'll fated
Armenians would involve Great Britain
in ngle-handed conflict with the COM
bined Continental powers.
1t must be admitted that there is some
measure of truth in the vague alarm
with which the subject is surrounded
| in the popular mind. = 1t is perhaps too
much to expect of human nature that it
should remain steadfast to duty and to
solemn pledges under such circumstan-
css. English virtue, at all events, con-
fesses itself unequal to such a trying test.
The opportunity to avert the fate of
the Sultan's Christian subjeous has almost
expired The powers have allowed Abdul
Hamid to consume the critical weeks in
silly farce over the admission of more
guard ships through the Dardanelles. The
question is of no earthly consequence
compared to the vaster issues pending
and the Sultan was clever enough to give
it fictitious Importance until it is al
most too late to press any serious de-
| mands which might avert the fate which
winter and the swords of the Mohaume-
dan subjects are preparing for the Arne-
MANS.
The general impression IN Europe is
that the Turkish question will not as
sumo an acute phase again before spring.
This is by no means certain. During
the winter reports of atrocities and hor-
rors in Armenia will transpire, vaguely
aud slowly, but the situation at Constan
tinople itself Is still critical that grave
events are possible at any time. There
will be long and futile pourparlers be-
tween the Sultan and the ambassadors all
| winter The crisis anticipated for the
spring. wh,chshas been WILDLY discussed,
probably will be one OF those universal
| ly prophesied events which never come to
pass. If it does arise, the crisis will
come without warning, and in the form
least expected.