Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-03-28

from the Turks of Malaxa and living on
roots We could not help them. When
we reached Colonel Vassas' headquarters
at Alikiano, l saw scores of famishing
people, once rich, who came begging
food. Some of them spoke English. All
were barefooted and emanciated, several
not having eaten for three or four days
There ans hundreds in the same condition,
yet the food supply is stopped by order
of Europe. The distress is heart-rending
and disease has now supervened."
This testimony and more to the Same
effect is from correspondents to journals
which steadfastly uphold Lord Salisbury
is his Ctetan policy. The problem is
how long the unanimous testimony of
the facts In, the Gaze will fail to influence
the attitude of the government and its
supporters. There is ample evidence
that the political features of the situa-
ton are rapidly approaching an issue
of ehe greatest Importance to Europe
and the world Lord Sahsbury's visit
to Paris yesterday TO consult M. Hano-
taux, French foreign minister is an event
of the utmost significance. When before
has a prime minister of Great Britain
esteemed me emergency in affairs of Eu-
rope SO great that he has gone to Paris
to hold a consultation with the foreign
minister of France? An attempt is nat
urally made to disguise the importance
of the visit under the fiction of health
trip, but that is only Transparent, sub
HNOInlilR mas lTdISplTtu, IlOlu-
ing viii transpire, probably, at the pres
ent day regarding what took place at
those momentous interviews in Paris It
may be assured that greater things than
a solution of the Cretan crisis were dis
cussed. 1t is not veinturing beyound the
bounds of probability to say that the
whole question of Anglo-French relations
were gone into, and that, too, In spirit
of warmest friendliness and conciHa ton
on the part ofLord Salisbury. The whole.
tone of political events continues to be in
favor of closer relations between Eng
land and France. England is undoubt-
tedly the initiator
1t is suggested in more than one quar-
ter that Lord Salisbury, under the pres
sure of the extraordinary political situa-
ton in Europe at the present moment
might be willing to abandon the trldi-
tional English policy of mo entangling
alliances" and enter into an arrange
ment with France which would be an al
lance in everything but name. Even the
Egyptian difficulty, some believe, might
be adjusted on that basis to the satis-
faction of the French peopa. NJ. IIano-
taux, who is "a remarkably clever man,
might not fad it impossible to transfer
the affections of his countrymen from
Russia to England if he made a judi
ciors use of Van Egyptian concession
and the mutual hate of Germany, with
whom the French people seriously sus-
pect their Russian ally is flirting.
Regarding the prospect of events in
Greece and Turkey, it is still impossible
to speak with any confidence. One set
of correspondents assert more emphat-
ically than ever now that war Is certain.
Others think the continued delay may
avert a conflict altogether. 1t really de-
pends on the secret intentions of certain
of the powers with regard to Greece and
Turkey. Information on this point is
hopelessly conflicting and I do not un-
dertake to venture even an opinion.