Hawaii Holomua, Volume I, Number 12, 30 September 1893 Edition 02 — Late Foreign News [ARTICLE]

Late Foreign News

THE OKEAT QCESTO\ WHICH IS PEKPLmso covm‘Evr.\L rOWEKS. Londox, Sopt. 17. —A rather Jnrk aml dybion.s picture is presented in the reeorl of human evenis in Eorope this week. Tho briphtest spot in it is, to speak par idoxically, one of the most sinister and ominons. Frauce has throv.u horself with the ahamlon characteristic of her people into preparations for the coming international fete. She will weleome the visiting Bussian naval sqnadron next month with extravagant hospitality, inspired not by love of her visitors but bv hate of her nearor neighbors. No attempt is made to eoneeal the fact that tho matchless festival whieh is preparing is designed above ali to be a threat of defiance. This significance of the coming event is acooptcd in Berlin, Vienua, Rome and in Londm. It wonld be foolish to ignore it and it is freely discnssed in all its bearings in the Euroi>ean capitals. The great questiou whieh still suggests itself is whether Great Britain will throw the weight of her intlnence, if not of her open co-operation, into the side of the balance whieh makes for j>oace. Tuis raeans, of course, on th« side of the triple ailianee. Fox, no matter how loud the protestations of pacific intentions that are made on behalf of tbe RussoFrench corabination. it will eontinue to be regarded as a meuaee and not a safeguard. A suggestive illustration of the delicacy of the Europeau situation is afforded by the pmposal to ameml the Geneva convention, whieh apparently emanates frora the Red Cross Society. The international position of the societv, it is urged, requires*emphasizing, owing to the n\dical change in the conditions of warfare that have occurred since it w«s estublished. Among the suggestions made is one to the oftect that tho society, being cosmopolitan and concerned only for the welfare of the wonnded, and generally for tbe relief of the suftering. “should have an extra belligercnt authority and be free to pass from army to army in the raidst even of tho most emeial campaign.’ But this idea is laughed to scorn by those who have watched the steady growth of the fecling o! dread and the hatred of eapionage in the cbief military cottntries of Europo, and it is pretty certain that tbe neit big war will l>© fougbt without any alteration in tbe siatus of the men wearing tbe red cross.