Washington sentinel., 1899-09-23
SUR EIeN NEWS
formulated and Selected irons leading
Es1ObsGg6G bsrJ(0S EAs SENTINEL
ENGLAND.
THR SEAMY SIDR OF WAR.
ShioPiRR H0pkd.

Never was there 80 preposterous an
exhibition Of dirty linen as that soiled
wardrobe which is Haunted before the
worlds eve by the French military
authorities at Rennes. We are not par
ticuiarly anxious as to the contents of
the Dreyius buck-basket which is being
OUerhauled under our noses but we take
more than a passing interest in the
moral attitude of those who stand by
and criticiss that unsavory process: the
more so because we fear that we our
selves partake Of the common Pharisa.
ism. Truly the spectacle is one to fill
the lookers-on with self pride; we are so
superior to this wretcbed crowd Of
witnesses. What have we in common
with men who give opinions as il they
were facts; who build upon foundation
Of mere suspicion; who swallow forger-
les by the camel load because the needle
eye sees the guilt OF the accused? And
then, what a world OF Adelphi villalny
do we look upon across the silver streak1
We see a hcgling wilderness Of espion.
age and trickeTy, a waste where the
common things of life are the opening
OF other peoples letters, the tAmpering
with servants, the boring OF peep holes
and listening tubes, and the perfidies ol
Jonathan Wild. In vain we look for
the honor of the soldier; we find only
the maxims of a Machiavelli; ambassa-
dors must lie for their country; the word
Of kings is taken IN vain, and the pride
of great nation is dragged through the
mire by epauletted scaramOuches. We
thank the goodness and the grace" that
''theY manage these things better in
France. We can hardly imagine any
people escendiug to such incredible
depths Of meanness, and as to we our.
selves doing any such things, neverl
Now, all this sort OF talk or thought is
perfectly natural, and there is a great
deal of truth in the Anglo Saxon boast
that they are above making such tools
OF themselves as the French are doing;
but, all the same, it Is more by luck than
by merit that we are in this happy posi-.
ton
We in England live in an island fort.
ress, and our American cousins are such
pesky bIg people that no one Is likely to
attack them. But II is not so with the
nations OF Europe, and it has only been
since we learned that liberty and large
standing army are incompatible that we
have really shaken ourselves Tree from
the bonds in which France IS now being
strangled. And not France only, but
all the other European Powers. Russia,
Germany, or Italy may not be showing
the symptoms so badly as poor France;
but they are all sick with the same
disease, for the nations can only find
protection by fencing themselves about
with hedge of bayonets. Within that
environment there is no room for Justice
to expand root or branch, Tor all is fair
1 in war as IN love. We praise She brilliant
little campaign and we do well TO honor
! the skill Of our commander, and the
bravery oi our soldiers, but we say
nothing about the fear OF death or the
4 love Of gain which prompted the traitor
to reveal the secret plan or the hidden
path. War has its dirty work no less
than commerce; and if it is right to get
secret information concerning a savage
enemy, il is ten times more justihabIe 10
learn all one can respecting the plans
and resources of a civilized friend.
Invention is ever at work, and the next
great struggle will be, if possible, an
affair OF a few days.
Blessed the man who knows his cause is
just,
But thrice blessed he who gets his blow
in fust.
Spying and betrayal are nasty acces-
sories to modern warfare, but we fear
that they are necessaries, and when a
soldier Of ability turns traitor he is not
likely 10 leave any clue TO bis treason.
The generals who have given their
opinion against the unfortunate victim
Of groundless French suspicion are
quite within their rights in expressing
conviction Of his guilt. But the fact that
where no guilt can be proved some one
has been at the pains to forge false doc
uments ought to be deemed proof posi-
tive Of innocence, and would be so
deemed were it not that the question at
issue IS not whether or no Dreyfus IS
innocent but whether the principle OF
civil liberty or military tyranny is to rule
France. For. however glorious may be
the calling Of the soldier. we must not
fOrQet that Mflitarfenn Is fvrannv and