The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-31


fessi0p.
From the views of President Theirs on the
present critical situation of France, as given
in special HERALD despatch to our readers
this morning, they will perceive that in our
recent treatment of this important subject we
have not overdrawn the picture in its gloomy
and fearful surroundings. President Theirs,
in his confession of the stubborn facts with
which he has to deal, justifes our gloomiest
Impressions and apprehensions. He says, in
discussing with that great capitalist the pro-
ject of M. Alphonse Rothschild for the imme-
date deliverance of France from the German
armed occupation by the prompt payment
of the whole German indemnity, that he
would like to end this occupation If France
had stable government or settled public
opinion in the country; but that, as things are,
as soon as the country is relieved Of the Ger
man army the ''demagogues and the Bonapart-
lists" will come forth, bringing with them all
the calamlties of relentless party strife,
which will be worse to France than the Ger
man occupation Nevertheless, in few days,
though it is with regret, President Theirs
proposes to yield to the general desire,
although he considers the presence of the
Germans al this crisis guarantee for peace
and order.
This is lamentable and startling confess
sion. 1t betrays network of difficulties and
dangers truly fearful to contemplate, and
state of humiliation, suspense, doubt and
alarm worse than that of Sedan; for the Ger
man legions now upon the soil of France are,
it is confessed, necessary to the preservation
of peace and order. Yet such is the popular
pressure for the removal of the Germans on
the terms proposed that the courageous Theirs
intends to venture upon the dangerous exper-
iment. And why not? In addition to the sac
rifce of the cities, fortresses and territory Of
Alsace and Lorraine France bound her
self in her treaty Of peace to pay to
Germany cash indemnity of four
thousand FIVE hundred millions of francs, one
thousand five hundred millions the first year,
thousand millions annually thereafter to
1874, when, with the last payment Of principal
and interest, the last German soldier within
the reduced boundaries Of France, it was
agreed, shall be withdrawn. 1t was further
agreed that this evacuation shall progress with
the payment of the indemnity. So, in June
last, with the payment of one thousand five
hundred millions of francs, the German troops
were withdrawn from all the departments i'm
mediately around Paris. And so. If to-day all
the balances of the indemnity were paid, the
complete evacuation of France by the Ger
mans would Immediately begin. M. Roths-
child and his associates. on a six per cent
loan, propose at once to raise this money,
the loan to be specially secured by monop-
oily of the tobacco tax.
Now, as President Theirs suggests, if
France had stable government or settled
public opinion, the advantages of this scheme
of the Rothschilds would invite an immediate
closing of the bargain. We are not informed
as to the number of the German troops now
in the eastern departments Of France still
occupied by them; but, putting them at the
| low figure of fifty thousand, they make a con-
siderable additional item in the contingent ex-
penses of France; for, while they are on her
soil, she has to subsist and to supply these
troops with their needful transportation. But
| worst of all is the intolerable torture which
the presence of these German soldiers inficts
upon the patriotic Frencbman. They are
painfully offensive to him as the masters and
overseers of his country; and of all things,
and at any cost, he wants them removed. He
would rather fight them than feed them !; he
would rather pay them to leave than be paid
for their entertainment Have they not taken
from France her prestige of '.gloire" and
''uictoire?" Have they not ravaged and
despoiled her and trampled upon her in the
dust? And is not this enough to bind thu
patriotic Frenchman to the oath Of Hannibal
Unfortunately, however, as it appears, there
is no security for peace among these patriotic
| Frenchmen themselves with the removal of the
| Germans. But for the presence and the
active moral support of the German armies
overlooking Montmartre the government o.
President Theirs, in all probability, would have
| been overthrown and superseded by the Paris
| Commune. We think there can be very little
| doubt upon that point. Prince Bismarck
| wanted his money, and he assisted M. Theirs
! in the ways and means required to enable him
to raise it. Besides, it was the true policy o.
Bismarck to assist in stamping out the Com
mune. Theirs is grateful for this, and 80
under all the perilous conditions of his
position, he regards the Germans still upoI
the soil of France rather as his allies than hi
enemies on the question of law and order
The present French Assembly, it must b
remembered, was elected while the wounds G
France from Strasbourg, Metz, Sedan an
Paris were still open and freely bleeding, an
while the blunders Of Napoleon and the noun