The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-29 00:00:00

IS PEACE POSSIBLE?

In an elaborate article under the above heading in
The Times of Tueeday, "XL Al." (the celebrated Max
Muller) remarks : .

It is said that Germany ill gloating over conquest, and
that elle carrier on the war which she began in self-defence
for the mks of territorial aggraudicelllellt. Nothing could
be more unfounded, more unjust. There is in Germany
more sorrow than joy, and greater sacrifices would be made
for peace than have been made for war.
Why, then, it ts asked, did Germany not make peace after
Sedan? but how? and with whom? I'Val General Moltke
to march his army back across the Rhine, trusting to the
peaceful disposition of • furious, half-beaten French army?
Whenever in the whole history of the world • precedent
can be pointed for such tactics, it will be time to
answer such taunt. But what I deny in tote is that either
now or at any time Germany has been Influenced by the
greed of conquest. The Conqtleet of territory Inhabited by
people who are not German in national sentiment Is an
Idea abhorent to the German mind and Elutes and

Loitering. are the best proof of my maertion The tradi-
tion that these provinces belonged once to Germany has
never been quite forgotten by the people. German states-
men claimed them back after the viotoilea of 1816: German
poets, like Schenken dorf, who died in 1817, bewailed the lost
patrimony "on the Vosges. But, Invite of all that, an offen-
sive war against France to recover letraeburg would have
been an imposeibllity even for Count Bismarck. A wart.
Germany requires an enormous effort, and it can never be
undertaken with • light heart. But if once under-
taken it becomes terrible. and cannot be ended until •
real peace has been eecured. What Germany wants at
present is a real peace, or what Is the same, a secure fron-
tier, and that. eta determined to have at any price. Think
only of what has , appened ! France attack. Germany with
the avowed purnop of annexing German soil. The French
-anny e beaten beet and the German army in punning the
lads itself hi actual possession of Alsace and Lor-
raine rhe samillers Mims been terrible; there Is hardly a
fatal from the Vistula io She Rhine that is not In mourn-
ing. "My only sou ' "my husband," 'our father," "my
loot etas," so-n are the headings that rivet our
en .astang the soli, I of deaths In the Germ. I
he.", to-i,4 how e• •
.s heart in England quivered
who t • arrived Shut yea young Englishmen had
been r Omsk beige... multiply that feeling by
hundre thous: 'ls, an lud1ud may then form au idea
of the 50..---' it)ry that pervades the country. It is
&mercy tams e been no German reverse., and that
the &trout., u 0 French invasion, have not noon re-
peated. It is • ',at the feeling of revenge does not
exiat in the Ger . . my. But on one point all Germans
are agreed, that as in them lies, such a war must not
occur again. Ca, .tny Power in Europe deny that Germany
has acquired not only the right but the sacred duty to take the
moat ample guarantees for the safety of her western frontier?
Would not England have resented it man Insult if the Greek
Government h. offered her a pecuniary indemnity and re-
quired • free pardon for those who had killed her sons? Yet
the guilty these were mere brigands by profession, the guilty
man here waa the sovereign of • nation. The new frontier
line between Germany and France will have to be drawn by
military authorities, not by diplomatiats ; and those who
know Count Moltke know that they may trust his wisdom
and moderation. No doubt that line will ant through French
territory, and in cutting through French territory It will
also out through the French population. To traw-
ler even a few thoueands of people from one country to
another is certainly repugnant to our feeling. It is • pro-
ceeding that should be countenanced except in cases of ex-
theme necessity. But it is &proceeding to which many people,
particularly three who Inhabit the marches of countries,
have had to submit even in the century In which we live,—
people as patriotic as the inhabitants of Alsace, and attached
to their country, not only by the mere instinctive love of
their soil, but by a loyal devotion to their Sovereign. It is
elm, to say that we are better than our fathers. I cannot
read that lesson in the pages of history. Why is it that
Aleaci. German is spoken in the streets of Phila-
delphia? It is because the Germans of Elms, rather
than submit to the despotism of their new master, Louis
XIV , preferred to leave their homes and migrated to
America 180 years ago. That remedy is always open to the
true patriot, nod It Is open to the Aland.. ; but I doubt
whether it will be largely resorted to by the present popu-
lation of Alsace. Political sentiments have not the saute
Intensity in all classes of society, and the Meriden peasant
has never been 'a very active politician. The Alliedau was
pelted by the Government he was constantly told how
proud he ought to be of belonging to France; but on the
French stage and In the novel the Alsatian was always mote
or less of • limotlan, and he never was considered as quite •
Frenchman France ought to be thankful that she has these
outlying provinces, part of which she can cede with • good
grace, and without too sharp • pang at parting with her
own flesh and blood. To maintatn that such an amputation
would be annihilation to France—that if one stone was
moved the whole building would crumble to pieces—la mere
poetry and wicked metaphor. Is there • Republican now
In France who one year ago would not gladly have yielded
Alum if by so doing he could have freed the country of
imperialism? No, no ! Fran.oe will not cease to be • great
nation because she hes lost a strip of Alsace and Lorraine.
Those who say so know little of the sources of the
real and indestructible greatness of that country. It one
thinks what France has achieved for herself and for the
world at large, In spite of Imperialism, in spite of the con-
stant drain on her physical and intellectual resource. pro-
duced by the love of military glory, it is not difficult to
foresee her triumphs in the future. No one has doubted
the bravery other gallant soldiers, whatever may have been
said of the truly Abyssinian generalship of their leaders.
How can one doubt that there Is civic virtue left among
her citizens if one knows how for nearly 20 years many of
the hest families have resisted the temptation of Imperial
favours, and sacrificed their own and their children's in.
Wests rather than bow before the golden image?

It has beclme the fashion of late to preach on French
frivolity and immorality as pervading the whole country
but those who know France beat know that it is Oct so. No
doubt the upper clauses have paraded their extravagance
and their vice. before the eye. of the world in France more
than they would dare do In other countries; but the middle
classes are sound and safe, and there is among the lower classes
less drunkenness and brutalPy than elsewhere. The con-
stantly accumulating wealth of France is the best proof of the
industre and frugality of the nation, and but for this fatal war
France would soon have been the queen among the nations
of Europe. What has been may be again, and in the peace-
ful but far more honourable contests for superiority In manu-
factures, In art, in learning, and literature, France will soon
prove again a match, and more than • match for England
and Germany. If men of the stamp of M. Arles Dufour
would but boldly step forward and appeal to the French
people we should soon have peace. Germany dahlia peace, and
though there are parties In Germany who Insist on the whole
of Alsace and Lorraine there are others who object to any an-
nexation. Count Bismarck seems to have taken his stand
between both extremes. He la too good a statesman to
imagine that the annexation of disaffected provinces Is
any addition to the strength of Germany, but be Is too good
• patriot to leave the western frontier of the Empire
any longer exposed as it bas been. Strasburg and
the gates of the VOlf(011 may be taken back by force,
never by argument. If England could prevail on France
to admit the principle of territorial cession as far as
It Is required for the security of the western frontier of Ger-
many peace could be made, and details could be arranged
by a Military Commission. In such • Commission the voice
of a victorione general would no doubt have its weight, but
the voice of Germany would counsel wisdom, and the voice
of the world would throw In Its powerful warning. Ye
nimie!