Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-13


events which have marked the past few
years It is by no means certain that
these events presage in any DEFINITE man
ner the peace Of the world.
The conference at Portsmouth may
serve as a point of departure in looking
backward The President of the United
States. It is recalled. welcomed the ENJOYS
of Russia and Japan, and NJ. de Witte re-
spending, said: IF nothing comes of this
conference it will make it easier when
we meet again. We have gained great
deal, a great force-President Roosevelt,
who was strong enough to call halt and
lead both sides to the conference table.
This is a great thing for humanity. a
great inspiration, great hope for the
future" This was in 1905
The conclusion of the peace OF Ports
mouth awakened to new life the pac.fist
with his dreams OF universal peace. The
venerable M Passy. the grand old pacifst
par excellence, did not lose his head, how
ever, at this unexpected success of the
cause in which he had labored so grandly.
Writing in reply to NJ. Brunetiere, the
editor Of the Revue des Deux Mondes,
who had challenged pacifsm as "anthro-
po!ogically false" NJ. Passy said In part ::
We profess on all occasions for the SOL
der who accomplishes honestly his duty
for the army, which is France, and for
the flag, which is the symbol OF the
country. the respect which is due him.
We protest more than any other against
the doctrines of so-called humanitarans
in whose name 1t Is pretended to estab-
lish on democratic principles forsetful-
ness Of individual or collective duties
Thus NJ. Passy rebuked the socialistic
'collectivism which was formerly repre-
scented in America by Laurence Olyphant
and Herr Most and that in France by the
more notable and more dangerous JuareZ
and Herve.
The Anglo-Japanese alliance was bolt
from the blue" The treaty of January
80. 1902, which was defensive in char
acter, extended its action to India by the
treaty Of August II, 1905. In seeking to
bride the assumed ambition of Russia
toward the far east. the red man was
now introduced for the first time in the
international affairs Of the white man.
1t Is doubtful IL this alliance may be
counted as factor in the worlds peace.
The Anglo-Italo-Cuban treaty in 1905
was passing summers cloud and so like
wise the Greco-Roumanian
Little conflict. The boycott in
rro,,h,., Bengal in the same year
was more portentous, and
that cloud still lowers over British India
and is chronically noted in the British
press as Unrest in India" The year
1908 witnessed the passing of Korea from
the map of Asia. 1t was the price in
deed. of the peace Of Portsmouth
Russia in revolution since the close OF
her war with Japan, began the year 1906
with increased disorder in her midst. and
with de WHITE as minister to face the i'm
mense difficulties. which seem now TO
have run their course from sheer exnaus-
ton under the patient and wise Stolypin
Slowly Russia is emerging from chaos TO
order and renewed strength.
The conference at AlgeciraS assembled
January 10, 1905 1t was said that the
Immediate reason of the kaisers visit
to Tangiar in 1905 and the conference OF
the powers that resulted was that NJ.
Delcasse. the French minister, had failed
to communicate to Germany the contents
Of the Franco-Spanish accord on the
question OF Morocco. The remote reason
OF the kaiser's interference, it was said.
was the desire Of Wilhelm II to mark the
year 1866 by some brilliant action which
might be the corollary of the battle of
jena for example, fought just 100 years
before. Avenge Jena! Germany was
therefore b. hind Morocco
But in the meantime it was disclosed
that there was also an Anglo French
entente on the Moroccan question, and
the plans of the kaiser were distinctly
challenged. Nevertheless, the Algeciras
conference dragged its slow length
through seventy-five days OF doubt and
distrust, aggravated by the changes in
the Interested governments. In England
from Balfour to Bannerman. In France
from Delcasse to Rouvier and to Bour-
Seois.
al q a n
connict-conflict with the comic Castro.
Cipriano Castro. who
Conflict was first mule mer-
chant, then a physi-
with Castro. clan, according to
some accounts, afterward a general who
marched on Caracas, and then president.
Castro still holds the fort at Caracas.
where he promises to DEFY all Europe ana
America, II need be.
Because of the occupation of Tabah, at
the head of the Gulf of Akaba, in the Red
sea. by the Turkish troops England, the
military occupant of Egypt, presented a
note to Turkey demanding withdrawal,
and followed the note by fleet in the
Red sea.
The interest thus excited in Egypt re-
calls the Anglo French agreement of 1905,
by which France coded her interests in
Egypt to- England in exchange for the
terest in Egypt, which is recurrent. was
further augmented by Lord Cromer's pro-
posal. in his reports. to abrogate the ca
pitulations, a proposal so drastic in it's
character and so displeasing to all the
powers interested, that the liberal govern
ment on this head, as vel. as on some
other questions, suggested to Lord Cromer
that the precarious state Of his health re-
quired a change of air and he was with
drawn.
The Russian duma was solemnly inau-
gurated May 10. 1906. in ST. Petersburg
On July p because of the disorder that
reigned in its midst the duma was dis
solved by an imperial ukase. In March
of this year a second duma assembled in
the Taurlde palace, but its agrarian men,
bers who thirsted for land and it's anarch-
lists for blood were Unsuitable and ungov-
ernable and the second duma was dis
solved. The elections for a third duma
are progressing at this time with the
probability of convening next month un-
der more suspicious circumstances than
its predecessors.
The Cretan question was acute in Au-
gust Of 1905. Crete demanded annexation
to Greece and public
Inc clamor was loud. But
pe1kons behind Crete is the
question of the Balkans
and behind the Balkans is the shadow of
the kaiser. Panislamism and pangerman-
ism, strangely associated. were questions
which occupied the press of Europe late
In the summer and autumn of 1906.
In October there came like thunder
holt from a clear sky the first in m a fjpp