The Indianapolis journal., 1897-03-05
ALL THE WORLD IN ARMS.
Continental Powers Are Prepared for
an Outbreak of Wars Horrors
London Spectator.

LoiiuoH Spectrum
The natives seem wholly 10 have lost their
old proud seif-reliance Every one of then,
anticipates invasion. possibly next week,
certainly next year. ana avery one OF them.
except perhaps ourselves. arms Itself to the
utmost limit of its resources. The CONT
mental world is positively crushed down
with armaments. Every new discovery in
explosives cost millions IN new artillery and
new rifles. while the outlay ironclads
ana quick-firing marine guns advances as
II the nations believed that the one which
voted the last shilling must inevitably be
the victor. We Go not Scruple 10 say that
II the nations of Europe trusted one an
other when passing each other In the
street Europe could be relieved annually OF
Slc1oJo.009 of taxation and 2.09o 900 OF white
men could be released from unproductive
and exceedingly painful labor. Not only
can this not he done-not only. that Is, can
not armies be reduced 10 reasonable pro-
. portions, say 10000 men in barracks tor
every 25.000.Oe0 people-but deep is the
fear. so imperfect the self-reiiarce that
change of the smallest moment in one
country is instantly initiated i'm another:
that horses and guns are counted down to
half dozens; that the porteutouS news
Herr krupp is making experiments ex-
cites a thrill in half "A dozen firSt-ciasS cap
itals. and. If confirmed. will set all dealers
IN destructive chemicals agog. il is a GER
tainty that II any one invented rifle 10
per cent. better than those now used the
whole of Europe would adopt II, whatever
the cost. and would believe sincerely that
the power Whicn OBTAINED Its supply flrst
would instantly invade the others. probably
without a declaration CT war. There Is no
confidence whatever that any state would
have the fair play given, for instance. IN the
old prize ring. Indeed. a quite considerable
proportion of the taxes is expended on
preparations for what is called quick mo-
bilization"-that is, on readiness TO strike
before an enemy is ready or TO defend
oneself against an Unexpectedly sudden
blow, which Is so universally expected that
there is throughout Europe. outside of
England, a popular readiness 10 hang spies.
The single fact that in every city of the
continent the rough pOpulace viii seize and
maltreat or kill any strange artist seen
sketching any portion of a fortress is a
measure of the depth of the fear which.
however IL may be yelled. universally pre-
walls. No people, though armored TO the
teeth. feel any security or apparently any
of the pride which would have induced the
lighting men OF old TO abstain from COM
plants, TO trust their Ydefenses ana To pos
sesS their souls in patience until the at
tack came Ali Europe is in the state in
which the women of our southern countries
were when Eonaparte was nightly expected
TO land state compounded OF fury. n rVfs,
credulity and very clear idea of how ter
rible the results of an invasion actually
would be. As to doing anything such
restoring order in Turkey. which might in
Volve risk of quarrel, the nations regard
such proposals either lunacies or an
English farmer would regard proposal
TO set fire TO corniield. because from the
shrieks somebody appeared To be commit
ting under shelter of the corn.