The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-17

seeking to avoid Yes, indeed. the great
nation that pretends to hold the torch OF
civilization and to illuminate the world
has sunk very low"
In the light Of this falling torch, many
things ear the ground are exposed, 1t,
seems. which had remained hidden. For
example, the motives Of Frenchmen In soic-
iting an alliance with Russia are now thus
interpreted by Mr.. IAKREFsKY: Unable,
in her vanity and thirst for prestige, to
recognize in her defeats OF 1901 that
all was irremcdiablc and even just; protest
ing that she could never accept the Treatyo OF
Frankfort as final; prating OF her vindication
and her hopes without venturlng to strike
blow, France has gradually cut herself
adrift in the helplessncss of political disor-
der from the great western nations, TO
which, with their liberal traditions, the ties
OF centuries unite her. and she has sunk
amorousy into the arms of country
which, more than ever represents and prac-
tises principles entirely opposed to those
which France boasts of holding"
II this be true, what should be Russians
course? Let us then" answers MIR.
ZAKREFsKY, "lcave gentle France to the
great military chiefs who are as famous
for the victories they have lost as for the
forgcries and other infamies they have
committed; to Il filthy press which floats
flood OF calumny; to the superb patriots,
the glorious Nationalists, who vociferate
eXecration against the foreigner, and howl
Ia reudnche without moving yard Let us
tell her frankly, and in a friendly spirit,
whilst taking her warmly by the hand,
that her conduct can only inspire nausea"
Mr.. ZAKREFsKY goes on to put his objec-
tions to participation in the French Expo
sitlon on the ground that, in view OF what
has passed, foreign guests at the French
capital would be subjected to intolerable
discomfort moral and social. above all,
he says, "let us not hasten to next years
Exposition us we might find ourselves in
delicate position. We should hear as
usual, resounding phrases about Progress,
Liberty, Justice and of Frances contribu-
tions thereto. What could we then do?
1t is supremely rude to laugh in ones
hosts face But could we rely upon
restraining our natural mirth, however
much mixed with bitterness?'
1t is pointed out by the National Reriew
that If Frcnchmen were disposed to heed
the voice Of any foreigner, it would be OBJ
viously that Of Russian. They cannot
dispute the right Of their allies to speak.
The credit of firm is necessarily damaged
by the dscredit of one OF the partners. In
Mr. ZAKREFSKY's vehement words, and in
Mr.. PoBIEDoNosTEFF's more sober yet no
less trcnchant utterance, may be recog-
nized the outraged self-love Of an ally who
sees her associate plunging into moral
bankruptcy before the world, and who is
conscious that such disgrace cannot fail
to affect the political prestige OF the coali-
ton. Nor is 1t only humiliation, but
grave apprehension also, which the mis-
cradle DREYFUs business has caused at
ST. Petersburg. MERCER declared at
the opening OF the Rennes court-martial:
"In this affair. there is but one culprit; it is
either DREYFUs or myself" The Russians,
like others, take him at his word. They be-
leve that the highest members Of the
French Headquarters Staff have been en-
gagged in reasonable traffic with Germany,
and that the original conspiracy against
DREYFUs was prompted by the instinct Of
self-prcservation.
The Russians see that this places terri
BILE weapon in the hands OF the German
Emperor, which, in case Of necessity, he will
not fail to use against the Dual Alliance
They know that the publication of the Ben
edetti memoranda on the eve Of the Franco
German War was worth several army corps
to Germany, for it completely turned the
In i,,,,
France by disclosing the baseness of her
policy. What. asks the National Rerie,c,
would be the effect, both outside and inside
OF France, Of the publication OF document
airy evidence, on the eve Of another war,
proving up to the hlt a sordld treason on
the part Of the French General Staff