Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-30
Old Letter Tells
OF Wars to Come
Mr.. loves EpistIe Quotes:
Force Must Determine
The Destiny Of Europe
To the Editor of The Star:


To the Editor of The Star:
Because, perhaps, it throws glimmer
of light upon events of our own troubled
day. the following letter, written by my
grandfather, John G. Lowe, visiting in
Geneva, February 1863 may be of in
terest. JANET THRUSTON MOVES.
(Nfrs. Frank B. Noyes)
We have now been more than three
months absent from home and our ex-
perience has been so varied and novel
that We have as many facts, scenes and
incidents to remember as we would have
possessed in ten times that period in our
ordinary life at home -.
I have enjoyed our sojourn here (now
about a month"; far more than any place
in Europe. The habits and life of the
people are more like those at home.
More liberty every way than we found in
London or Paris. Then the geographical,
historical and literary associations of the
place must always awaken the liveliest
sympathy with every person of any de-
gree of liberal culture.
Geneva is more of a historical center.
more focal point in the history of
civilization than either London or Paris,
for 1t was here that those ideas of civil
and religious liberty radiated which have
given shape and color to the best forms
and institutions of modern civilization.
The vicinity has ever been the faVorite
home OF theologians, philosophers and
poets, and could you, even in this winter
cold, look out upon distant environs of
majestic mountains and then at YOUR
feet upon the blue-green waters of Lake
Leman, you would no longer wonder why
it has been for three hundred years such
a show spot of all the earth's surface
People of all nations come hither to
live or Sojourn. This fact causes its
continuance as a great educational CEN
ter -.
Europe is at peace The head Of
every empire and kingdom is emphatic
in his expressed desires for peace.
Peace, they all say, is the necessity of
Europe and must be preserved. But
what else? Never before have such vast
armies been mustered and armed to the
teeth. France, Russia and Prussia each
with a million soldiers to feed, clothe
and pay (the pay, indeed, amounts to
little), and Italy and Austria with as
many as they can feed How long can
this peace exist under such circum-
stances? Only until some pretext arises
for war
Prussia wants the coming war to be
one OF races-SaXon VS.. Latin and Celt.
Thus may she nationalize Germany.
France wants it to turn on religious
Sympathles. Thus may she denationalize
Germany, diminish the increasing power
OF Prussia. A French senator said in
substance the other day in his place:
conventions (treaties) having lost their
power, force must determine the destiny
OF Europe" Meanwhile there is a
manifest renaissance in old Austria.
Hungary had been appeased and fiat
tered since the war with the British and
today Austria with Hungary would seem
to have as hopeful a future as any
European power.
But these hints of continental COM
plications and situations must suffice.
Happy should we all be that we are not
Identified with them as I see there is
much trouble, political and financial. at
home; but there, there is some way Of
escape; here none is apparent.
JOHN G. LOWE.