The Daily News. MONDAY, MAY 8, 1905. WAR FEVER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7816, 8 May 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, MAY 8, 1905. WAR FEVER.

It would seem as if " the dogs of war" were striving to break their fetters in almost ovcrv country on the globe. The horrors of war appear to have a stimulative rather than a sedative effect on the putee of nations. Among the South American "Republics periodical outbreaks occur as a matter of course, and li';e thunderstorms are soon over, leaving the political atmosphere in temporary peace and quietude. In the Balkans, also, conflict of armed fjorces Fcems .to ~ have, taken strong foot in the soil, and; apparently, ivill not bo eradicated till much blood has been shed wantonly. South Africa and the Philippines have only recently emerged from military operations of a costly nature. Kussia'and Japan are slill engaged on one of Ihe greatest wars of modern times. The Portuguese are operating against the natives in West Africa. It is only a short while since Great Britain sent an expeditionary force k) Thibet, while France and Germany alone acted the part, of spectators of all these troubles. Whether or not the Kaiser has been attacked by the war microbe is only n'attcr of surmise, but it in abundantly evident that his- meddlesome action over the Moroccan .<iuestion has raised a cloud that may develop

into a storm, unless averted by the firm attitude taken by Britain in supporting France. . Even in Crete there Is a trouble that may lead to important changes. Few people, however, expected that the fever would spread to Sweeden and Norway, yet civil war between these persofa.llyunited Kingdoms seems to loom aheadT Ever "since 1818 when HernadoUc, one of Xapoleon's marshals, became king, the two crowns have been united. • The union was made indissoluble, but was not to effect the constitution, government or laws of cither country. Both) countries have distinct parliaments, ministers, revenues', armies and navies, but the Norwegians consider they have certain rights that must be asserted, und Conservatives as well as Uadicals display a determination to enforce these rights. In 1897 a separate Norwegian flag was sanctioned by King Oscar, who is 75 years of age, in the hope of allaying the ferment created by a dem'iifid for separate Consulates and a separate Minster of Foreign Affairs. Three successive Nowegian parliaments passed the separate Consulate resolution, thus over-riding'the- King's veto. Home days ago the Crown Prince appealed lo the Norwegians to hold a conference- with Sweden for a revision of the terms of the Union, and in that way arrange all differences, but t"he "Storthing" refused The Swedish suggestion of "a civil war fund" evidently depends on the supposed intention of the Norwegians to secede from the Union unless their constitutionally expressed determination is admitted. It is to be sincerely hoped that the problem will be solved peaceably, and the consolidation of these two countries become closer than ever. No war cmf'd be the subject of such regret as that between Sweden and Nor.vay. Hut for the war fever which is so prevalent just now, the disagreement might not have appeared to be fraught with such grave issues. Much better would ii be to form a Scandinavian League, in which Norway, Sweden, and Denmark would join together lor mutual protection and support;. An agitation in favour of this wioie course is already far advanced, and it is to be hoped it will produce the desired result. There is too much of the war fever already, and it is about time to cure minor disputes by other means.