The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 1913. RUMOURS OF WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 54, 4 March 1913, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 1913. RUMOURS OF WAR.

For the cause that lacks "rrxtmntM, ftr lie wrtmg that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, Ami the good thai we ohm do.

Regarding Europe as a whole, .we may safely say that the most strongly marked feature of the present international situation is the evident anxiety of the Powers to be prepared for war. rhis nervous desire to be ready for all possible contingencies is just now taking the form of a practically universal cn° largenfent of military resources. Germany has decided to expend no less than £50,000,000 in strengthening her army within the next four years; and co determined h she on this point that it is actually proposed to raise the funds required In- means of a direct tax levied on all fortunes of over £2,500 in capital value. Along with these military preparations naturally poos the policy of naval expansion which last year's Xavy Bill so strongly emphasized. At -the some time, Austria, not content with £he mobilisation of troops on a grand scale along her Balkan frontier. has adopted a new system of military organisation which will add close on .100,000 men to her standing army. Naturally France views these warlike preparations with alarm, and is responding to Germany's challenge with a se.lieme which will increase her .standing army by *bout 60 per cent., and give her as a basis for defence a permanent force of nearly 900,000 well-trained men. To Russia, as France's ally, the menace of the Triple Alliance appeals strongly; and so wo learn from St. Petersburg that the reserves arc to be kept with the coloivrs for the next year, bringing up the full strength of the Russian army to 1.750,000 soldiers. Thus the whole of Europe is being converted into a great camp, and the Continent seems little better than a vast, parade ground for huge armies eternally drilling and training, and ready at a moment's notice to turn their "weapons against each other. 'When we come to consider the immediate cause of this alarming condition of things, it is natural to turn at once to the orifiits in the Near East. But though the war in the Balkans and the collapse of' Turkey may have been the occasion for this strongly-marked outburst of militant activity, they are not ihe original cause. The excuse for these military preparations and for the im-■peeitioiv-of .siu-h overwhelming financial .burdens upon the countries that have/to support ther»e huge armies is to %c found in the. fierce interna'Uonal rivalries that have, developed to so -extreme a pitch of intensity in Europe in recent years. It is easy for the. "PaJl Mall Gazette" to blame Germany's aggressive policy for the- condition, of suspense andanxiety which now pervade the Continent. But (Germany is not ihe only Power whose restless ambitions have tended to disturb the world's peace in modern times. It is not many years since fear of Russian" aggression was the marneprdng of England's foreign policy. And , ihough France may justifiably plead that she is arming chiefly in reply to Germany's threatening movemente on her land froniiere, we need hardly remind our read-ere that in North Africa France has recently pursued a policy of very ilefinite aggression and expansion. Aβ to the other members of the Triple Alliance, Italy's unprovoked attack upon Tripoli and Auetria's an-, nexation of the Turkish border provinces are fresh in everyone's memory. And though England has certainly done everything in her power to keep the peace in Kurope of late, we must "not forget tha-t her naval superiority, which seems' to her own people to be heT natural privilege, is in the eyee of our most powerful Continental rivals a constant obstacle to .their own development and a menace to their growing eoa.power. The fact is that Europe is now on the verge of war, simply because all the Powers firmly believe that their mtercets can be defended', and their ambitions van be promoted by force alone; ami its- long ars this belief holds its ground en long will the present precarious condition of things be maintained. But it is almost inconceivable that tins state ol affairs can continue for long without leading to v aiiddeu and violent dislocation of international relations—in other word*, a great war. One possible way of escape would seem to be a general determination on the part of the peoples of Europe to decline anything in the way of an armed conflict. This suggestion is not so incredible as it might at Hist appear; for. according to our cables to-day, the Socialists of France ■and Germany are just now combining to

issue a manifesto representing the views of many milLiourt of the two peoples, protesting their earnest desire ior inter-, national peace. But though the world's peace may some day be established perjnanently by the general repudiation ot war, that desirable result seems a Ion"

way off just now, and, in our opinion, •jnore is to be expected in the immediate future from the influence of diplomatists exercising that enlightened self-interest which in most cases would deter nations from attempting to obtain by actual warfare anything that can possibly be secured by peaceful means. There is no doubt that the prejudice against war is grossing steadily, because the rulers of the nations, as well as the great , mass of- the jjeopie, 'Save come to realise the

terrible wastefulness of warfare. The woiid lias not yet accepted the standpoint oi the author of "The Great lllusion,' , and admitted the practical impossibility of warfare on a large' scale. But the growing complexity of international interests readers war every year a greater danger to the- world, and makes diplomatists and monarchs less and less inclined to engage in it. We have no doubt that if only the counsels of Europe could be guided just now by [ one controlling and far-seeing mind, the -Powers would pase through this crisis without serious risk of an internecine straggle. But, unfortunately, there is no one great statesman whose personality dominate., Europe, and whoee. guid-ance-would make for peace. "We lack a Cavour or a Bismarck," wrote Dr. Dillon recently; and the world needs more than anyone etee juet now " a leading European statesman capable of utilising and storing up the vast peace forces at present scattered over Europe.' , In due time a herald of world-wide amiiy and fraternity may arise to preach this new evangel. But just now the clash of arms and the noiee of war and rumours of

war are loud in the air, and overwhelm by their vehemence the voices that are raised in the cause of peace.