The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-16


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pect and there are the longings anlbi-
tons ana aspirations. TO some extent
legitimate, Of several smaller nations.
especially IN Eastern Europe which
one way or another are connected with
me questions pending between the big
ones. We add to this n certain UNI
rest spreading within some of the
, national bodies on grounds of racial
and social discomfort. we have. think
a complete map OF the elements Of dis
turbancc Europe has TO grapplc Win
a present.
Mutual Distrust.
The common feature Of ali these
questions is their origin from mutual
dtstrust and antagonisni, their growth
through an endless series of conflicts
ana wars, intcrsected by treaties
sanctioning the result Of tic last one.
! but never getting any nearer to u
final solution.
Another common feature OF the
political problems in Europe is the cx-
trcmc difficulty Of bringing them into
question OF right or wrong. Fl; 10 be
decided BY some iuridical procedure.
That could be done only K arbitration
were organized sort OF equity
Jurisdiction, where tho Judge applies
niaHiIns Of sound common sense when
ever law fails him or if we should
consider as absolutely inviola "a BILE the
status quo determined by treaties and
prcccdcnts. Neither OF these courses
seems perfectly safe. The arbitrator
Is not We, borne gifted with a moral
authority that could compel great ma
tons to abdicnte pretensions they
think just and essention 10 their vel
fare or 20 yield 10 claims they deem
Innfoundcd and injurious 10 them. only
/ because he happens to take a different
view Of the case.
Tho Eastern question is still more
refractory 20 solution on juridical
grounds, The European side Of thar,
question may be summed UP as fol-
lows. Russia wants an outlet TO the
open sea her northern ports being
frozen during several months, she can
find it all the year round only through
the Dardanclles. Hence her constant,
bias 10 get control or those straits,
Near the pardanellcs, 50 70 say around
them, Russia finds several small ma
tions. in part still subjected 10 the
Turkish rule. partly cmancipated from
II.
The vital intcres; OF Austria Hum
gary in these affairs is well known: u
is her special cause OF unensiness.
! iussia's control OF the Dardanelles.
would mean her absolute sway OF the
| Balkan peninsula. the total absorption
| OF all its Slavonic states into the
I sphere of Russian power. In that ca Sc
! Austria Hungary and Ruma MIA, too.
| would be caugh. as between iron fangs.
liable 10 be crushed between them, or
TO be inimobilizcd IN n situation OF
| unsafcty. Should Australia Huns gary
then feel bound TO submit TO sach a
lot: Mould 1t be easy to give a verdict
or right Of wrong in q conflict be-
twecr interests like thcse-somc OF
them vital?
Two Great Problems.
The two great problems--Wcstern
and E,astcrn--of Europe, combined with
problems of Colonial policy. have given
origin to- the Two great combinations
OF European powers the Triple Al
lance and the Triple Entente. On one
side We see Germany, Austria Hungary,
Italy, who are in the main satisfied
France and Russia. the two powers 10
whom there is much that is objection
able in the status QUO.
these TWO powers rather than with the
Triple Alliance can be explained only
by considerations belonging to the field
OF colonial policy. At present
she seems inspired BY the novel scnsa-
ton OF seeing Il possible rival in her
hitherto undisputcd domination over
the seas and in the fields Of colonial
she sides with the combination from
Which Germany is absent. forge;ful Of
the menace which Russia's steady ad
vance i'll Central Asia may mean to her
Indian empire
~ distinguished Russian diploma fist
once told me that 10 the best of his be-
lief there would, be no more great wars
in Europe. but that he saw constant
danger Of colonial conflicts. There is
danger of conflict with the territorial
power and With the rival coloniZinS
power. The So-cailed unciviized cotin-
tries show Il distinct and growing un-
Willingness to offer themselves a prey
TO foreign colonization. The territory
open to colonization becomes smaller,
while need OF il Increases; that makes
! competition for what there remains
ticrcer from day to day It seems not
only necessary. but urgent that prin-
ciples should DC laid down by inter-
national agreement to regulate colonial
problems, and that tho application OF
these principles should he contidcd TO
an interna tional court OF justice or to
obligatory arbitration.
The y ople OF Europe bear the bur
den Of an annual military expenditure
of sl.5oo.oO0,00O in times of what is
called peace; they shrug their shoulders
and sigh over 1t, but they submit to it
as to some law OF nature that lies be-
You'd our co.trol. Man is hardly able
TO conceive what war would mean in
these times when the nations are so
dependent on each other In their every
day wants, and II their daily habits.
hat far away from the horrors Of bat.
tleiiclds. ruin hardly less horrible
would befall III, eds OF thousands Of
peaceful citizens The instinct OF self
preservation rec0ils from such a
wholesale massacre Of numbcrlcss in
dividual interests: comparing certain
| cost to possible results, war is found
to be a business that does not pay.
Public Spirit Lhnguih.
| 'Danguors Is Il general feature Of
| In