Washington sentinel., 1900-09-15

the Germans towards England
showing that the vast majority
sympathize with the people OF the
Transvaal. She adds that the Ger
mans would gladly grant ships to
her soVereigns to enable them to
meet England on sea, but tor the
knowledge that England would
build still more ships, and make
the sacrifice useless. The article
concludes with the following COM
mentary, which should send a chill
to the heart Of every American,
and create a stern resolve to ward
of the impending evil Of imperial
ism at all hazards. It is Darticu-
larly interesting to American
women:
"The sole ray OF encouragement
in the situations Of things is the
possibility of England adopting a
system OF conscription similar to
that oil Continental countries.
Lord WolseIev has pronounced It
inevitable, and the idea is being
discussed daily by English states
men. If it should be put through,
if England really should adopt
compulsory military service, the
advantage which she has enjoyed
so long over Germany will tall
away. Her youth will be swathed
in the bands OF police red tape
from the day OF their birth o : the
free energy Of their spirit will be
compressed; their free will broken;
their impulse tanned. The world
will cease to hear OF Anglo Saxon
daring and hardness, Of the Anglo
Saxon gilt for pioneering and col.
onizing. The Anglo Saxon will
appear like the rest Of the sons ot
man, a product of political cir
cumstances. Conscription draws
men in the flush OF their years
away from their work TO barracks.
In these years English younger
sons are wont TO be in all the ends
OF the earth They will refuse to
return; and the necessary penalty
of contumacy being Imprisonment
on returning home, thousands will
become permanent eXiles. Ing
land will suffer as Germany
suffers, a steady loss Of energetic
virile blood; and rival countries
oversee Nill reap an undeserved
harvest Of citizens. The question
of the status Of Outlanders will
solve itself; they will be no more;
Outlanders will seek natuTaliza-
ton. Meanwhile at home, hun
dreds Of thousands will be with
drawn from productive labor.
Thus virtually the NeHe Free
PyeSSe, OF Vienna, the Post, OF Ber-
lin, the RHRdschaH, and a host Of
commenting prints: the same, sub
stantially, that found a cause for
satisfaction over the prospect OF
America adopting a course Of i'm.
perialism. I'm 3erialsm demands
a strong army of ever increasing
size. Tropical possessions a con-
slant consumption Of men. And
let such consumption but 60 on
long enough and there follows a
superabundance of females at
home. This superabundance
given, the lowering Of the status
Of women succeeds. The present
absurdly elevated position Of
women in America will give way
to the European standard.
On every occasion you Sc the
same kind OF commen SO it IS
something more than "mere jour
nalism," a phenomenon Of the day
and an incident. AS | see it, it is
a profound historical fact revealed
by the fash lightnings Of publica-
ton. What is revealed is the moral
level to which European peoples
have been debased. Here they
are shackled, bent and burdened
by the yoke Of mi.itarisp; cumbly
sensible Of numerous social evils
militarism entails; sapped by re.
strictions cf all energy for revolt
ing. All that seems lett is the
malevolent hope Of other nations,
which are still free, becoming as
they are"