The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-08-06
The European war-Its Causes.

them intelhgently. But it is perfectly safe
to come to this conclusion, that the avowed
causes Of wars between the continental powers
are very seldom the real causes, which latter
are nearly always such as do not admit of dis
tinct avowal, and are yet frequently, if not
generally, of absolutely controlling import
ance in the estimation of powers who come to
blows. The aroace1 causes of the present war
between France and Prussia are so puerlle as
not to be worthy of moments attention; for
it is plain Ithat none but criminal madmen
could resort to an organized slaughter of their
fellow men upon such flmsy pretexts as those
avowed respectively by France and Prussia
What, then, are the real causes of this war,
SO vast and terrible in its portents,-is ques-
easily asked, bu. not easily answered.
But the conduct Of nations is precisely like
that of individuals; if you hold the key to
their passions and what they believe to be
their interests, you then may be reasonably
confident that you can sound their motives to
the bottom. What, then, is the controlling
impulse of French passion on one side, and
Prussian passion on the other and what are
the views Of the respective belligerents in re-
gard to their real or supposed national inter-
ests:
Nations have more tenacious memories than
individuals, and the siXty-four years that have
elapsed since the battle of jena have not eff
faced the recollection OF that humiliation
from the breasts of either Prussian people or
rulers. The satisfaction which Prussia took
in 1913, 1914 and 1915, was very inadequate
and unsatisfactory. She was mixed up with
all Europe in arms against France alone, and,
| although success satisfied her vengeance, it
was far from satisfying her pride. To-day,
after the vast acquisitions which during the
last ten years she has made to her territory,
her resources and her military prestige, &C
quired in 1866, in her short but glorious cam.
paign against Austria, she feels for the first
time able to measure swords with France
Whenever that ting came, whether fifty years
ago. now, or fifty years hence, her long nur-
tured passions would impel her to come to
blows with France, unless restrained by what
she might deem paramount interests. If she
could see these safe, and especially if she
could see reasonable chances of promoting
them by resort to hostilities, there never
has been day, since the l4th of October,
1906, when Prussia would not have taken i'm
mense hazards for the purpose of settling the
question between herself and France, which
is the best man. She now believes the
chances are in her favor, and profting 10y the
lesson taught her by the senseless conduct of
her cabinet and her military staff in 1906, she
has constructed vast system of interior IN
trenchments and Notifications, that will make
the road to Berlin very different one for the
French to travel from that by which Napoleon
marched in 1906 from the river Main to the
Prussian capital, without 4 single fertilization
to impede his progress, except Magdcnburg,
on the Elbe, and that his decisive victory at
Jena enabled him to mask, so that really he
was not delayed in his march but a single
day-the day on which he fought the main
battle, which decided the campaign by the
total overthrow Of the Prussan monarchy.
Now the vast system Of intrcnchments and
Notifications the Prussians have construct
ed will impede the French advaDcc,-will pre-
vent q victory against the Prussans being de-
clsive, shelter them and enable them to
rally in case of defeat; and tends to annul
the advantage the French have from superior.
ity of numbers, and possibly-thougb Prus-
sian will not cOncede it--from the more expe.
ricncei ability of the French stats. 1t is safe
to say. therefore, that although Prussia may
be worsted i'll this war, she cannot be over
thrown. Basing herself on this point, there |
fore. Prussia reasons, that all she subs tantia-
ly hazards is loss ofprestige-she cannot. as |
she Justly thinks, be conquered, us she was in |
1906. Nor can France even. in case of sue. |
cess As she reasons, make that success decis- |
i've enough to d!smember her of Il SINGLE pro
vince, And above all, in the estimation of |
Prussia, the chances of success are decidedly !
on her side. She thinks. whether rightly or !
not, that the superiority of the needle gun |
over every other infantry weapon, gives her an
advantage more than equivalent to the superb
~ numbers of the French. If she succeeds, the
prestige she will acquire over the French, be-
sides Nati,ivin" her PRIDE, will enable her TO
pursue Gnmolcstcd by France her grand pro.
ject ~ absorbing South Germany, as she al
ready Ia, North Germany, within the rule of
her flag. This great project is worth 60 Prus.