Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-15
AFFAIRS In EUROPE
Returnof Dreyfus and Its Effect on
Public Sentiment,
PERMANENT COURT OF ARBITRATION
President Booker 7. Washington
is Popular in London.
KRUGER AND HIS POLICY
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
LONDON, July 3, 1890.
The arrival of Capt. Dreyfus has, after
all, infused some touch of humanity into
the opponents of revision. The presence
on French soil of the victim of the gen.
erals, worn. aged. pallid. yet firm as ever
and confident in his innocence, has touched
a human chord. The comments of the press
have been moderate and almost kindly and
even those who will abate none of their
rancOr against the republic accord at last
to the prisoner the courtesy which is due
to one who is no longer a condemned
traitor, but merely an accused man.
More significant even than this modera-
ton is speech which NJ. Deroulede has
Just made at a banquet in which all the
leaders of the reaction acclaimed him as
their chief In the singular character of
the man who has been chosen to pose be-
fore France as her future dictator there
are some elements of rectitude and cour-
age Surrounded by crowds who greet him
in one breath as their leader and shout
death to the Jewsi in the next, he has
always had the independence and the brav-
cry to protest against this the basest of
all the reacttonary watchwOrdS- And now
he has boldly proclaimed his willingness to
believe in the innocence of Alfred Dreyfus.
and to bow before the coming verdict OF
the COurI-mar1lai. lie goes even
He will demand the utmost penalty against
the ministers, soldiers or civilians who
have created the legend of his guilt, and
for DTeyfus himself he can think OF no
reparatio that is sufficient. Here then, is
SUFFICIENT evidence of a generous reaction in
French opinion. NJ. DeTOulede deserves
all honor for his frankness, even while one
smiles at his readiness to seize any weapon,
even from the hands of the revisionists
themselves. that will serve his turn or aid
his campaign against parliamentary insti-
buttons.
A Horrible MartyrdOm.
II must be a hard heart indeed that is not
moved by the story Of the past few days.
The man whose fate has for five years been
a question of keenest interest to the world
is back upon his native soil again. and we
are now beginning TO understand, if, as yet,
but family. the nature of the horrible mar
tyrLiOm he has endured so long.
A partial paralysis of the brain has be-
fallen him. and this is due to the fact that
during the whole period of his incarceration
he has been forbidden the use of speech.
The Ong-unaccustomed organs have afro
phied in a greater or a less degree. Time,
and the blessings of liberty and peace, may
restore his faculty completely, and If IL
were only for the sake of that heroic wo-
man who has shared his sufferfngs at a
distance, and whose constant faith in him
seems at last to promise TO bear fruit, all
good men will hope it may be so.
he WONDER IS IndL the man mas survived
the malice of his enemies at all. Only a
temper of heroic firmness could have in
sured his return, and it seems certain now
that If the plot against him had still
been allowed to triumph, his mind. firm and
equable as it has proved to be, would have
broken down beneath the strain to which
1t was subjected.
A Court of Arbitration.
The peace conference will lead to def
mite result, after all. The delegates have
unanimously agreed to the establishment
of a permanent court of arbitration and al
though this court may not for a long time
possess much influence, it will be certain to
be resorted to at times and in small cases.
and by degrees its usefulness will extend.
Its existence will make people think of
arbitration who would never have thought
of it otherwise. and in this way il will lay
the foundation of a more wholesome senti-
ment on the subject of war than exists at
present
This is all that could be expected of the
peace conference. and If this result is at
tanned. all sensible people will be satisfied.
There are enthusiasts who expected some
thing more imposing. Mr.. Stead. for in
stance. has written about the conference as
though he thought that 1t was Immediately
going to usher in the period when the lion
Is to lie down with the lamb. But Mr.
Steals vaporing never deceived any level
headed person The methods and ideas of
the human race are never likely to be
changed in day or a year, even in a
dozen years. Men have been fighting with
each other for unknown centuries and they
have Inherited fighting instincts and racial
qrdrrelS- 1t VIII require generations for
the effect of these things to be worked out,
even if the world remains at peace, while
q single great war would throw back the
current of opinion for a long period.
But it may be well to point out that a
great war would certainly not cause more
misery, and probably not nearly as much,
as the famine which is now devastating a
1uW
famine is very largely due to bad govern
ment, and as such shocking occurrences are
preventable. the car has ample means OF
exercising his humanitarian sentiments
outside the region of the peace conference
The fearful poverty that prevails over a
large portion of the Russian empire not
only causes heartbreaking misery. but ii
also destroys character. There are, there
fore, evils to be cOmbated worse even than
war.
Russia and Finland.
The brief statement published YESTERDAY
that the car has refused to receive tn,
deputatiOn which went to ST. Petersburs
for the purpose of presenting petitions Il
him from various European countries will
reference to Finland is, 1 believe, the frs
announcement which has been made abou
matter which has excited good deal o
interest in many quarters. 1t was how
ever. understood that any premature state
ment might teOpardize the chances of a ia
NOGdOle reception at the hands OF the Rus
sian emperor, but now that he has re
fused to receive the deputation / may sa,
that 1t was not only influential by reason
of the position and character of the indi
vtdual members of the deputation, but ais
because II represented in a very strikin
manner the educated opinion of Europe
Petitions have been signed to the car il
almost every European country, and al
though every country did not send dele
gates, the majority did So
Prof Westlake, the distinguished author
ity on International law, had consented [
go to st. Petersburg to present the petftio
from the sisnatories in this country bl
was at the last moment prevented fror
leaving England. Among those who did 9
TO ST Petersburg are NJ. Trarieux a men
Der OF the French senate and an ex-ninis
ter OF justice. representing France; Pro
Brusa, representing Italy: Profs Skinny,
hungary, Van der Vleigt OHoland) No,
man-Hausen Denmark. Brogger (No,
way) and Baron Nordenskjold who repre
scented Sweden. Signatures were also oil
tained for Germany. Austria, Belgium an
switzerland. No attempt has been made I
give a popular character to the petition,
only the signatures Of representatives {
science. art literature and international la
having been sought 1t was recognized tn;
for foreigners TO address the car on a oue
ton affecting the government of Finlan