The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-05-04
The Next War.

At Woerth, Metz. Sedan aud Paris,
Germany reaped revenge for the hu.
Mutations Of Jena aud AusterlitE. but
France feels that she has yet to settle
the score which she owes her enemies
across the Rhine for the defeats of
1870 aud II, aud she is making the
most treln ndous efforts for the estab.
lishment Of powerful army. Sixteen
hundred thousand Frenehmen are being
subjected to vigorous military training
The thoroughness Of the German laud
wehr system is being surpassed Grea
ter pains are taken to instruct the
students OF French colleges in the arts
of war than in the usual bra Iches OF
learning. If it was the leading object
OF NJ. Theirs life TO create an lrresslti.
Bile popular demand for war of revenge
against Germany, aud to prepare ut the
same time for the qualification Of this
demand, it would be difficult to suggest
a single measure calculated to promote
these ends which has not already been
adopted. Pains are taken to assure
France that, ut every point, she either
has now or will soon have, an undoubled
military superiority over Germany that
she will have more soldiers, more ara s,
more skilliul officers, etc. Instead OF
ceasiug all military preparations, after
a treaty Of peace has been formed (a-
is the custom 10 this couulry), France
only fairly commenced to perfect her
military organization after the Germans
had turned their backs upon Paris, and
she continues these efforts now with a
zeal that has rarely been equalled.
Conscfiption laws as rigorous ns tho
great Napoleon could have desired are
submitted to with apparent cheeriulness,
aud while, on the surface, the leading
questions are, "How shall the German
claims be paid 2" aud "Who shall be
the future rulers of France 7" the
absorbing issue in which the main body
of all classes OF Frenchmsu are most
deeply interested is, How shall France
wipe out the terrible stains on her mil.
itary escutcheon p
These preparations for a future war
are awakening uueasiAess 10 Germany
Even the completeness OF her victory
will not euable her to disbaud her
immense armies il France continues To
convert all her vigorous citizeus into
soldiers. The belief strengthens that
even the conquest OF Alsace aud Lor
raiDe, the capture of Paris, aud the utter
prostration Of the France OF BuEaine,
McMahon and Louis Napoleon have
not huall y ended the old stru .gle The
Germans consoled themselves IN former
times for submission to the inevitable
by slow aud secret but sure steady
prepar. tlons for new appeals to arms,
and France is now following this exam
pie.
NJ. Theirs, 10 his vigorous prcpa
rations for the reorganization aud lm
provement of the French army, ~ y be
partially Influenced by the secondary
object OF desire to divert Preuchmen
from domestic revolutions by feeding
them with the hope of gigantic aud
successful war Of revenge. But he is
probably as anxious us any OF his couu.
trymen to give the world a convincing
proof Of the martial proves OF France.
VIII the Frenehmen who are now
being drilled aud organized are fully
prepared for war, in the judgment Of
their officers, the pretext for an out
break will soon be found and il favoring
circumstances occur, the day is not far
distant when active hostilities between
Franceaud Germany may be resumed.