Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-22
CONVICTED 81 YRS. M HFEITON

A THREATENED EUROPEAN WAR.
If signs and symptoms are reliable.
Germany is anxious to get up a fight,
and force a settlement of some vexed Eu-
ropean questions. In truth, monarchies
must keep up warlike demonstrations
with outsiders to employ the minds and
bodies of their vast standing armies.
So long as there are military diversions
there will be employment for the troops.
the standing armies of their own govern
ments Peace is never peace with an
idle soldiery in monarchical countries.
II &hese soldiers can be. used on out
siders then the people at home become
interested in their lives and their sue
cess. But IL the situation is stagnant
1t next becomes restless and inside diff
ferences will be engendered. because
stagnation means decay. Germany Is
the most virile or energetic of European
governments. Emperor William has a
head on him, while too many of them
have no heads, except figure heads
He desires to be known as the chief per-
sonage on the eastern continent be-
cause he estimates the other royal per-
sonage by what he knows of their weak
ness and fgure-head relationships TO
their respective governments. AS long as
his grandma, Victoria, lived and he was
her first born grandchild, he had
feeling of nearness to the British throne.
He tolerated his Uncle Edward with the
latters love of dress and his society en-
tanglements. What he will decide upon
as to his Cousin George, the present
king of England, will be known when
ever British soldiers and German troops
collide in a general European war.
All these crowned heads fully under
stand that they stand in slippery places
with disconnected and freedom-loving
people behind them. Assassinations are
ten times more frequent in these latter
DAYS than when I can first recollect.
A wave of horror passed over the CIV
ilized world when a bomb bursted under
Russia's emperor, Alexander. and he was
picked I'm in bits and bloody fragments.
But King Alfonso of Spain and the
king of Portugal have been thus NAL
treated within few years, Alfonso es-
Gaping by the skin of his teeth, but the
Portuguese ruler, with his son and heir
were not able to save their own lives.
II is no uncommon thing to hear or
bomb throwers and lassassins of crowned
heads, t
Less than forty-eight hours ago
the Russian war minister was shot, in
crowded theater, where Emperor Nicn-
olas viewed the deed.
That is getting very near home-and
Internationally close. 1t was done open
Nv. and the man who fired the shot made
no effort to escape. He was most prob
ably deputized to kill the war minister
and expected the usual fate of such mus
derous attempts. These men who give
their lives in what they call the service
of their country, are called Nihilists, and
both men and women belong to such
combinations or organizations in Russia.
Unless something shall happen to call
attention to outside wars, more of such
attempts will be set down to their
credit.
In the event of a general war in Eu-
rope, the immense standing armies Of
Europe-Germany, Russia and England
will have prominent parts.
1 should think they would prefer to
fight other peoples than to kill each,
their own subjects.
To ono who knows nothing OF royal
dignities, save the reading thereof, it
would seem that a general war is all
that will prolong these various dynas-
ties in their present absolute dominion.
But a general war in Europe would
make a diversions, and it is well known
that military affairs are very good
things to arouse ambitions in men who
seek notoriety and promotion. Emperor
William has under his authority IAN im-
mense standing army, He has more
brains than his kinsman, George of Eng
land or Georges cousin, Nicholas of
Russia. Family ties will be weak in
the presence OF military ambitions. A