Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-03-10
Remarkable Speech of the Great Prus.
sim S0ldier-The Cost OF Con-
quest-Men, Arms, and
Munitions.
Holland and Belgium Sympathize with
France-Allthe European Nations
Afraid Of Germany.
Increased Armament in France-Den.
mark, England and Austria-Ur-
gent Plea for the Reg.
ular Army.

OOuuI mOlLKe Salu the real question
brought before the house is, whether
Germany shall bear the heavy cost ne
cessarily incurred by keeping four hun
dred and one thousand men on perma-
nent peace-footing; that the question
must be considered in the light of our
home and foreign relations. Fhe pres
ent generation could not hope
to escape the onerous duties connected
with the maintenance of large aTma-
ments. 1t was but too probable that
Germany would be obliged to protect
for fifty years to come what had been
gained in five months. Germany, by
the last war, had won the respect, but
certainly not the love, of her neighbors.
In whatever direction the honorable
members turned their eyes, they would
find nations haunted with the idea that
Germany was likely to become disa-
greeable neighbor before long. There
was a strong French party in Germany,
Notwithstanding that Germany had
repeatedly saved the independence of
that kingdom. Holland had begun to
repair the works by which the country
had been inundated, because theinhabi-
tants were unaccOuntably afraid of a
German attack. There was not man
in Germany who advocated the annexa-
ton of Poland, yet it was too well
known with whom the Dutch sympa-
thized in the war of 1870. Even England
had recently witnessed the publication
OF pamphlets contemplating the chances
not of French but of German land
ing in their country. Denmark in
creases her coasting vessels and
fortifies Zealand, likewise deeming it
necessary to prepare against a German
descent. Nay, Germany was even
charged with the intention of invading
the Baltic provinces Of Russia and CO.
quoting with the German subjects of
Austria, and all this when France had
copied the whole system of the German
military organization, and by extend
ing the duty of the military service over
twenty years and giving the law re-
Progressive force already passed, an &C.
tive army of l 200, 900 men, and terri
torial force of ], 200, 200 more, France had
now l52 regiments of infantry instead
of 1l6 as before the war; 800 batteries in
stead of 159 as formerly, and All 900
men actually under arms in time of
peace against the much smaller force at
the disposal Of Emperor Napoleon.
France, who began the war Of 1870 with
eight corps d'GTTlee, had now nineteen,
and while Germany hitherto spent less
than loo, coo, 600 thalers on her troops,
does not hesitate to appropriate III ,OOO,-
600 thalers for like purposes. The
French legislative assembly, the other
day, actually forced an extra
sum of 100000 thalers on
their government to enable them
to drill the second portion this year.
The French towns We'd with each
other in building barricades, setting
apart backgrounds, etc. To be sure, the
great majority of intelligent Frenchmen
bore their defeat with more dignity than
would appear to be the case from the
orations of the popular speakers; yet, if
the French government are convinced
of the necessity of preserving the peace,
it was owing to the fact that a judicious
general was at the head of the nation.
Still, Germany remembered too we'll
the sad experience of some years
ago, when the French government
was carried away by extreme
parties, and hurried into an imprudent
war. He was sorry TO say, that however
many people in France might be Op-
posed to the repetition of such a course,
no one who listened to the vociferous
cries for revenge which penetrated across
the Vosges could abandon the idea that
what had happened once might happen
soon again. The German army was
smaller than the French, but it had the
advantage OF not including any ele-
ments of the militia type. Wars carried
on by real soldiers were always the short
est, and therefore the cheapest. As Mr..
Bancroft had told them in his excellent
history of the United States, even Wash
ington realized the comparative useless
hess OF militia, and again and again in
sisted on the formation of standing
army. 1t was fact that the Americans
ultimately conquered from possessing
a small but well drilled force of six
thousand men. Again, the French war
office appeared anything but the efficient
force they had been hitherto repre-
sented. In 1870, also, though so many
brave and patriotic men were called to
arms by tn. French government, when
the whole French army had been made
prisoners, they were unable to resist the
onslaught of the real troops. AS to the
Frsnc-tieurs they never stayed the pro-
gress of the German army q single day,
though they necessarily gave the Ger
man measures harshness which might
be lamented, but could not have been
avoided. This and the danger there
was in arming the people promiscuous-
ly, when socislistic tenets were being
openly preached, altogether ex.
cluded the militia project that had
been started in another quarter. A
standing army, therefore, was q neces-
sity of the times, and he could not but
ask the house to vote the figure of 401,-
600, rank and file, as peace footing,
once for all. II they were to rediscuss
the military budget every year military
matters would be kept in q constant
state of uncertainty, for any altera-
ton that might be introduced
affected the number and OrganiZa-
ton of the troops for a period
of twelve years, the time of service
exacted from the individual soldier.
Germany needed no war to acquire gle-
ry, nor did they want war to make con-
quest. In geographical position it was
true she must have an army strong
enough to confront two parties at the
same time, but what could she do with
pieces of Russia and France if she were
to conquer them? Germany not only
wished to keep the peace, but wished to
be able to force others to do the like.
1t is the first necessity of
tween State and State there is
hO oADASCii Jul buO pOnCA OA q SAOeeS
State exists only by itself and its own
might. 1t fulfills the end of its being
only where it has resolved, and is pre-
pared, to uphold its existence, the free
dom and its right
The count concluded as follows:
The best of men cannot live at peace
If ill-disposed neighbors will not allow
them. 1 think, however, we shall be bet
ter able to show the world that we have
become powerful nation, and that we
remain q peace-doing people. I
hope that for a long series of
years we shall be able not only
to maintain, but to command peace,
then, perhaps, the world will Iallow it.
self to be assured that q powerful Ger
many In the center of Europe is the
best security for the peace of Europe.
But to insure peace, you must be ready
for war, and, In my opinion, we are
now called on to decide whether we
shall say to Europe that we do not need
a powerful army, always prepared for
wsr, or shall adopt the measure necess
Ill NJ.