Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-14
THE EUROPEAN SITUATION
VIII Greece Be Upheld in Her
Holy WARP
QUESTION OF THE HOUR
Germany France and Even England Charged
With Stirring Strife.
THOUGH NONE DARE UTTER BLAME
Should Salisbury Resent Greece's Action
He Would Cover With Shame the
Name and Flag of England
The Situation Delicate.

London, Feb. 13.-(Copyright 1897 by
the Sun Printing and Publishing Associa-
tion.)-It would be easy to present the
array of authentic informa ton from
Athens, Crete and Cons tantinople in such
a way as to indicate that war is inevita-
BILE and close at hand. There are some
observers in all European capitals, es-
pecially Berlin, who take that view of the
situation and are alarmed accordingly.
Even the stock exchanges, which are,
after all, the best political barometers in
Europe, indicated for day or two that
a storm had been impending. There is
no doubt that if the future developments
depend solely on those directly concerned,
namely, the Turks, Greeks and Cretans,
there would be fighting within week on
both sea and land. Everybody knows,
however that the progress of the quarrel
is not within the control of those actually
involved and that there will be no blows
exchanged unless at least one of the great
powers is willing that war should come.
The solution of the problem really lies in
the answer to the question, has the rep
resentative of one of the six powers
whispered in one ear of Greece: Now
is your opportunity; go ahead; take Crete
and we will keep our hands off.
Some loud voices in France and many
more in Germany are accusing England
of having done just that thing. No one
of them, however, has suggested even
plausible motive which would lead Great
Britain to adopt such a course.
On the other hand there are overwheln-
ing reasons why Great Britain should
be the most strenuous of all in suppress
ing disturbance until the powers had an
opportunity of enforcing on the sultan
the scheme of reforms which has just
been formulated.
One would naturally suspect Germany
herself or France of melting the mis-
chief for the purpose of diScomfiting Lord
Salisbury, who from the first has been
the leader in urging harmonious action in
dealing with the sultan. There is, as
matter of fact, no adequate motive vis-
ible, which would lead any great power
TO create this fresh and dangerous COM
plication at a moment when the virtual
settlement of the Turkish question seems
within reach. There does exist, how
ever, ample and obvious incentives to
induce the crafty and still potent sultan
to seek once more to set his mentors by
the ears by means of a fresh crisis in
Crete. 1t seemed after a week ago that
he was not directly responsible for the
recurrence of the troubles there, but there
have been many indications since that
his subtle cunnlngneSS instigated the
whole affair. The one luminous and hope
full feature of the situation is the fact
that thus far the powers have maintained
their unity of attitude. The pugnaciouS
Greeks sent off their fleet with instruc-
tions to prevent by force any fresh Turk
ish troops from landing in Crete. The
powers had no opportunity to prevent
this step, but they promptly and unitedly
notified Greece she would not be per-
mitted to interfere on the island itself and
at the same time offset chance collision
by preventing the porte from sending any
more troops. The sultan's scheme has
therefore been a failure up to date, and
it remains to be seen what his next move
will be- The situation on the whole has
not reached an ominouS or threatening
stage in the view of those persons in
whose Judgment have the greatest con-
fidence and although it contains elements
of serious danger as it has for more than
eighteen months, it does not justify any
grave forebodingS with regard to the
peace of Europe.
There is another view of the crisis in
Crete, and Turkey, which should not be
lost sight Of These fresh troubles prove
anew that radical solution of the Turk
iSh problem is absolutely imperative, and
that all hope in allowing the Ottoman
empire to exist in peace under the full
sovereignty of the present sultan is in
vain. The Spectator today, in a gloomy
article on the situation emphasizes the
necessity of drastic measures, and says:
Europe will not permit the sultan and
his Asiatic hordes to threaten it's peace
every minute, and as Crete cannot be left
to itself, it must be handed over to Greece
du INTERIM, lHe arrangement 10 De dIIeT-
wards ratified by European conference.
That will pacify the island, as the Mus
sulmans will either submit or fly to Asia
Minor, but then the gravest of all dan
gers will arise. The Mussulman mob of
Constantinople may endeayor to take
vengeance upon the Greeks of the capt.
tai, and it is doubtful whether Abdul
Hamid has either the power or wish to
restrain their ferocity. The Greeks, of
course, however, exceed 100000. They
L. ,fx,o for ,nrafb he md io
exceedingly doubtful If they can be sum-
marly suppressed They are not like the
Armenians in temper, and If driven to
desperation they would raise a formida-
BILE civil war, which would, in few days,
compel the powers to occupy Constanti-
nople, the precise danger which they
have been all dreading. Matters may go
differently, because the sultan and a few
of his advisers must be aware that
massacre of Greeks would be the begin
ming of the end for ottoman rule, but
the danger is undoubtedly great and i'm
minent.
1t has not been lessened by the fact
that the Macedonians, who are only
awaiting an opportunity, will probably
seize this. and by a simultaneous rising
compel the states of eastern Europe to
show their hands and decide whether they
are for or against Asiatic rule in Europe
These sta tements may be considered sem
sational but we take 1t to be certain that
horror of Abdul Hamid has entered too
deeply into the souls of the Christian
populace of European Turkey to allow
any palliative to be effectual and that if
he continues to reign no lull of a week
or month can in any degree remove the
danger of an explosion.
There is no doubt some basis is for
the dark forecast, but it has to be consid-
cred with the larger question whether
the sultan will in the end submit to the
demands of the powers which will soonbe
placed before him, That Is the critical
point of the situation and nobody ex
cept Abdul Hamid himself can decide
It. The present troubles In Crete and
the activity of Greece are of small con-
sequence compared with it.