The herald., 1897-06-12
Significance of the Eastern War

Significance of the Eastern War
To the Editor of the Los Angeles Her
aid: The article in last Sundays Her
aid on the Green Banner" suggests
another. Some of the familiar sugges-
tions concerning the war between Tur-
key and Greece are:
/. Germany has secretly off1cered and
aided the Turkish army because Eng
land and Greece are in sympathy and
Germany is jealous Of England.
2. Russia is in sympathy with Turkey
and secretly aiding the sultan because
of this same Jealousy of England and be :
cause she cannot allow any other power
to possess Constantinople and the out
let of the Euxine.
3. Austria is naturally or politically in
sympathy with her sister empires. The
four imperial powers, Russia, Germany,
Austria and Turkey, are naturally, OF
politically, in sympathy and opposed to
the more liberal governments
4. The kingdoms and republics gener-
ally are in sympathy with Greece, while
the empires are in sympathy with their
brother despot, the pagan and still bar
barous Turk.
This much concerning surface indica-
tions. Enough to show what ideas un-
derlie the conflict. The occasion may be
territorial or other dispute, but the
cause will come to the front, and world
old ideas and principles will govern the
combatante.
Hence the same old ideas are at war
those ideas which have arrayed men in
killing conflict through all the ages.
Those ideas, or principles. are: On the
one hand, despotism, kaiserism, czarism,
ceaearism GALL from the name Caesar)
or the oneman, one-will power. On the
other hand, free or constitutional gov
ernment. The battlefields Of the earth
for ages have been drenched in human
blood by these two opposing ideas, or
principles. They are again face to face.
and sooner or later, must fight 1t out
once for all.
The founder of Russia fixed the pol
icy of the empire. 1t is her destiny to
conquer the south and west. Both Scrip
tural and political prophecies assert that
Russia is destined to take possession OF
the whole Turkish empire. conquer Eng
land, compel the European powers to
join her and press on in a mad attempt
to crush out free or popular govern
IucAt GuIOPc 10 ~ JUN 1NuSSAd AA q
forced alliance against America and the
republics Of the earth, and while Amer
lea iS passing through the greatest strug-
gle ever experienced by any government
the people Of Europe are to rise against
their governments and, with the aid Of
America, overthrow despotism and es-
tablish republics throughout the civil
iZed earth.
This is at once the gloomy and glorious
prophecy which has been outlined by
both religious and political prophets. 1t
is at least interesting to recall the fore
cast at this time and to hope that the
terrible. conflict may be averted.
There is apparently one way of avert
ing it, viz, by an alliance between the
English speaking people of the earth to
maintain the peace OF the world, and, II
that is impossible, then to take the sword
jointly to keep despotism under and
finally to extirpate it from the earth.
The hope Of human liberty, the hope Of
human progress and human redempt-
| ton from ignorance and misery is in the
English speaking people. Free govern
! ment, political and religious liberty, sci
ence and popular education, even the
material development of the earth, are
committed to their hands.
In the Hebrew Scriptures are numer-
Gus forebodings Of the triumph of a
new Israel" These English speaking
people have somehow had the faith and
the persistence to seize upon this ideal
and to struggle necessarily to actualize
it. No other people can for moment
approach them in what has already been
! accomplished toward the realization OF
this ideal.
Americans have not taken kindly to
the alliance with Great Britain recently
proposed. Let them now begin the de-
mand for an alliance upon higher planes
"a union Of the English speaking peo-
pie of the earth, to maintain the peace
of the world and to civilize and spiritual
ize the human race.
RAPHAEL MERRILL.