Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-11-17

There have been renewed e4I6rts at
peace between Germany and France.
But Count Bismarck is stated to have
remarked that there could be no
peace until there was q recognized
Government in France 10 ratify II,
and that Germany could not hope
for full security against her dangerous
neighbor without the possession OF
the provinces that have been
wrenched from her by France. As
suming the report to he true, the
situation becomes clearer. Germany
il anxious for peace, but not from
fear. If an armistice be granted for
the purpose Of the French elections,
it will only be upon conditions favor
able TO Germany. The military
operations are not favorable to France,
nor is there any evidence that they
are likely to become 80. The suffer-
ing OF the country must be indiscrib-
able. The Rev. DIR. Bellows, Pres't
Of the American Branch Of the Inter.
national ReliefSociety. has published
a letter Of ex-Minister Sanford at
BRUSSELS. stating that i'm the region
along the Belgian frontier there are
200, 900 persons in peril Of starvation,
and Colonel Krutzow says that twice
many-nearly half rnillion-in the
whole district over which the armies
have swept are starving.
Moreover, there come from Mar
sailles and Lyons accounts Of political
differences and disturbances, and IL Is
impossible not TO feel that the whole
nation is disintegrating. Meanwhile
the movements Of other powers
toward intervention are limited to
polite appeals. No Government
proposes To lend actual assistance 10
France, or to command Germany to
desist.
The simple situation, therefore, is
this: Germany has conquered France,
and Is overrunniDg the country in
every direction. Her military skill
is UNNECESSARILY superior, and her
military force resistless. France Is
crumbling under her tread, and
Germany dictates terms as con-
queror. Those term are the cession
Of Alsacc and Lorraine. France
replies, "Neyer." and can do nothing.
The other powers protest that Ger
many Is severe, but they will do
nothing. And they will do nothing
because the terms or Germany are
not unusual, and are justified by the
precedents Of every country IN
Europe, including France herself.
Indeed, not only did France under
take the war for the purpose OF taking
more German territory, but the very
provinces in dispute were "wrcnchcd
from Germany" by France more than
two centuries ago. Germany, also
IL in full possession Of them to-day
and France Is utterly unable to dis
lodge her. Nothing but Il hostile
European alliance against Germany
could disposscss..her Of the new terri
tory. But which of the European
monarchies shows any disposition t.
ally itself with the phantom of {
republic; and which Of them, with
their hands full -nf~ne.,s..e-ady nrnu
inccs, will command Germany t
ronounce her conqucsts?
This, indeed, is not the settlement
we had hoped from Germany, he
cause the German official nets ant
words during the war have indicated
very high regard for the goot
opinion Of civilization. The demOli
ton OF the fortresses under the guar
antee of Europe would be all thu
security which Germany natural.
and Justly desires. To end SO grea
war, In which the triumph ha
been so prodigious, by destroying
the obvious means Of future Offense
and by disdaining the vulgar spoil'
oftonquest, Is all that is necessary t.
crown the work Of Germany, and t.
give her greater glory than any
nation warning with another has
ever reached. But to the argument
that the demolition Of the fortresess
Il . sufficient guarantee, Count Bis
marck virtually replies that It il
sentimental, not substantial. "What
ever tho settlement may be-" he
virtually says, "France will hate VI
more than ever. Her total prostra
tion, the exposure of her hollowness
the ruin Of her military prestige, on
successive and incessant !. victories
upon her soil, make her more dead
~ foo than before. II the war leaves
France utterly exhausted, we may
IA - A..A