The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-16
NO HOPE FOR PEACE.
Foreign Diplomats Think the War
Has Just Begun.


Washington, June ia leading mem
Der of the diplomatic corps said today
that the departure of Skaters army
of invasion to Cuba put an end to all
prospects of peace. While none of the
foreign representatives here has ever
made peace. oVertures to the United
States government yet a peaceful sOlu-
of the diplomatic fraternity as within
the bounds of possibility even prob
ability, so long as the United States
troops remained at Tampa and Key
West Now, however, with $4,000 Amer
lean soldiers about to take a position
on Spanish soil it is said the conditions
OppOrtune for peace have undergone
material change, as it commits the
campaign and also makes it impossible
for Spain to adopt any other course
than that of defending her soil against
invasion.
The presence of our ships at Manila,
Havana and Santiago have not. this
diplomatic official stated, cons tituted an
actual invasion, although the ships had
wrought much damage. The ships
could have been withdrawn at any
time. But with $4,000 troops landed on
Cuban soil a new and more serious
phase of the conflict was presented.
Instead of blOckading and beleag ureing
a few Spanish cities, the American
army now entered Spanish territory
and that advanced the campaign from
q passive to an active and offensive
condition. The ships had simply sur
rounded Spanish territory, but the
troops would cross the line and enter
Spanish territory. For this reason, he
said the hopes of a peaceful solution
OF the conflict had passed away and
he believed they could not be revived
until the effect of this first Cuban in
vasion was determined This would
take some months, probably all sum-
mer for this aggressive land movement
would be followed by others, each one
making the prospect of peace more re-
mote.
If a peace proposition had come be-
fore General Shafter sailed, diplomatic
officials are inclined to believe it would
have been eagerly accepted by Spain
and would have stood some chance OF
consideration by the United States
While it is not doubted that this cOun-
try intends to push the war to finish
yet the belief is entertained in diplo-
matte quarters that the authorities
here were 10th to send a large invad-
ing army into Cuba during the rainy
season when yellow fever, heat and
pestilence combined to make such a
movement exceedingly hazardous; even
if no enemy were on hand capaple OF
an effective defense.
The cabinet crisis in France may
exert other indirect influences on the
present war. NJ. HanOtauX, minister of
foreign affairs in the present french
cabinet has been foremost in oVercOm-
ing the anti-American spirit shown by
part of the French people and the
French press. He has moreover, eXer-
cised a strong repressive influence on
Spain He was able to do this through
his peculiarly close and personal in
timacy with the Spanish ambassador
at Paris Senior Castillo, and through
him to have a considerable part in
shaping the policy of the Spanish gov
eminent 1t was through Castillo that
Spain hoped to induce France to come
to the rescue but HanOtauX would not
entertain the proposition and on the
contrary urged that Spain must make
the concessions necessary to secure
peace. 1t was this attitude of France,
shaped by Hanotaux that caused Such
deep depression in Spain a few weeks
ago, as it brought to the Spanish gov
eminent and people the first real IN
formation that they were without an
alIy or friend in Europe
The course of HanOtaux has been
highly gratifying to the authorities
here and they would be glad to see MIN
retain the control of foreign affairs in
France Besides being most friendly
to the United States, he is an emlnently
fair and conservative man. w nat Is
feared particularly in diplomatic cir
cles. is that HanotauX's withdrawal
along with the Meline cabinet, Will
bring some fiery deputy to the head OF
the foreign office. thus giving free rein
to some of the popular i'll feelings IN
France against the United states.
HanOtaux has been strong to resist TINS
but foreign minister drafted from the
chamber of deputies might prefer to
share the popular feeling, rather than
resist it.