THREATENING SITUATION IN EUROPE.
By Wm. Penniman
“Discount as we please the numerous rumors of warlike preparations in Europe, and explain as we may the circumstances which may precipitate hostilities, there will still remain the hard, solid fact that no one would be greatly surprised—that is, no one who has given any attention to European affairs—if it were announced to-day that a war had broken out in that continent. Russia, since the Crimean war, has been busily constructing railroads with the double purpose of opening up her territory to commerce and of facilitating the transportation of troops. She has steadily endeavored to give a good elementary education to her people; and her soldiers are not only admirably drilled and under perfect discipline, but are vastly superior in general intelligence to those who formerly fought against the troops of other powers. The German army is the admiration of military nations, and the example which they keep in view in contemplating reforms. Austria, since her recent loss of territory, has striven hard to bring up her means of offense and defense. France has brought nearly as much skill to bear upon her army re-organization as she has upon her financial difficulties, and with nearly equal success. Other countries have done what they could do in the same direction. “Every European nation is jealous of the slightest movement on the part of its neighbors. National existence seems to be considered absolutely dependent upon the readiness to resist attack. All Europe appears to be living during a period of armistice of uncertain duration. The wisest statesmen do not know how soon the thunders of cannon may call the nations to engage in a deadly struggle. In almost every country there is a financial crisis approaching, which impels its rulers to seek some way of reducing the present costly armaments. “An attempt has been made to place Europe upon a peace footing by mutual agreement, and it has failed. One power hesitated to begin before another, and no beginning was made. But neither Russia nor Germany nor Austria can afford to sustain much longer the enormous drain upon industrial resources by the present huge armaments. Commerce and agriculture in Russia are threatened with stagnation and collapse. Germany is far from a condition of prosperity. Austria is in a precarious financial state. The opinion is not unwarranted that a pretty general war is now looked forward to as the only available means of clearing the political atmosphere, and producing a subsequent peace less costly than the present one. “One almost trembles to think what will be the effect of an outburst of war in Europe. The storm which is long in gathering is long in dispersing. Besides the ordinary causes serving to produce war, it is impossible to shut one's eyes to the fact that the strife once begun the religious element will enter largely into it. Utterances in unguarded moments by papal dignitaries like Cardinal Manning have shown that the Vatican is plotting for the restoration of the temporal power of the pope; and Bismarck and Gladstone are of the same opinion. “Great Britain, by the purchase of the Suez Canal, has declared that European complications are to be no longer a matter of indifference to her. Her army is to be mobilized and the war office has matured a plan. With the exception of some modification to meet the possible needs of the colonies, the method is substantially the same as that of Germany. The regular force is about 129,000 men, the total reserve, 340,000 at present. The whole of the regular and auxiliary troops are to be divided into an active and a garrison army. At Colchester the first army corps will have its headquarters, and it will be available for foreign service. The second corps is to be at Aldershot, while the other six corps are to have their stations at Croydon, Salisbury, Chester, York, Edinburgh and Dublin. Whether by conscription or increase of pay, the condition of the army is to be vastly improved, both in numbers and efficiency. “Our own government, unless through some marked departure from a time-honored policy, need not be drawn into the conflict impending in Europe. To prevent in time any possibility of the struggle of the Church of Rome to obtain control of the direction of the State—the most dangerous and subtle of all the war-producing causes in Europe,—having any effect here, it will be wise to prevent effectively and as speedily as possible all possible establishment, openly or in disguise, of anything like a State church. The hierarchical power of the papacy must be kept in proper subordination to the civil power; and civil measures will answer the purpose if they are applied in time.” The foregoing condensed view of the condition of Europe, from the New York Weekly Witness, of Jan. 13, 1876, shows unmistakably where the nations are drifting. The idea that “it is impossible to shut one's eyes to the fact that the strife once begun the religious element will enter largely into it,” is quite significant. It is plain to be seen from the conclusions of the article that the prediction of some of our statesmen that a religious war is impending is not wholly unfounded. The Witness fears the establishment of a State church. Active measures are already in operation to secure such a church; therefore, the opposers of this movement know there is danger ahead. Wm. Penniman.