New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-20
PEACE AND POLITICS.

Finland and Armenia are raising an interest
ing question at The Hague. The Peace Con-
gress is primarily an international affair. War
and peace are international issues. Discussion
Of them belongs to the domain OF diplomacy
not Of domestic politics The question or re-
duct1on Of ornaments applies exclusively 10
armies and navies intended for possible opera
don against foreign antagonists, whether In at
tack or In defence. There is no thought or
debating TO any nation the size of Its purely
domestic police force. That Is recognized TO be
a matter which Is the nations own private
business and no ones else Yet as we have
said the question Of domestic politics and po-
lice is being introduced at the Congress. What
attention will be paid TO It is yet to be seen.
Under the strict letter Of the Cars call for the
Congress- it may he shelved and practically
ignored. Nor would such disposition Of it be
illogical or indefensible. At the same time so
much popular interest has been aroused In the
matter that there has unquestiOnably arisen
also some expectation that the Congress VIII
take some formal action upon It.
II will be generally conceded, In this coun-
try and tn others having free constitutional
governments, that FINLAND Is at present suffer
ing a great hardship. The constitutional guar
antees Of nearly century have been arbi-
trar1ly swept away. The promises Of all her
severeigns since the union with Russia have
been repudiated. Freedom Of speech and press
and worship has been abolished. Autonomy
has been abolished. Instead Of being self
governing Grand-duchy, Finland has been
made a province OF Russia Beyond doubt the
American public synpathizes with the Firms
IN this disaster which has befallen them. Be
yend doubt also, there Is widespread sym
| pathy with the Armenians. who still being
missoverned and harried by Turks and Kurds.
| We should like to see the Armenians in the
enjoyment Of full civil and religious liberty.
We should like to the Firms endowed in
| alienably with all their old-tme freedom. But
some delicate issues will be involved In trying
| to secure such ends through this Peace Con
| gress.
Russia might we'll object to the raising Of the
| Finnish question as n bit Of meddling with
her domestic concerns with the domestic
concerns Of the Gar Turkey, In like fashion
| and on like grounds might object to any dis
cussion of the Armenian question. II the Con
gress takes them up. IL Will he dealing not with
International issues OF peace and war, but with
matters of domestic politics and police ad
ministration Moreover, II it takes up Finland
caa It refuse to take up Poland? What will
II say IL France asks II to consider the question
OF the restoration OF Alsace-Lorraine? Then
there is the kingship Of Hanover: there is the
Schleswig- Holstein dispute; there are the claims
Of Don Carlos to the crown Of Spain; there is the
Papacy's perennial demand for the restoration
of It's temporal sovereignty over the States Of
the Church There are almost lnnumerable
other questions OF like character. which would
threaten the Congress In a neod II once the
door were opened to them by the admission OF
a single one of their number.
1t would, no doubt, be within the power OF
the Congress TO consider the extent to which
one nation. or a combination of nations, may
properly intervene In the domestic affairs OF
another Such intervention is no uncommon
thing. and 1t might be well to have some inter
national rules laid down for the exercise Of 1t
so far rs It is possible to lay them down viii
any prospect of effectiveness But 1t will no
escape the attention Of the advocates Of peace