The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-08-02
Germany, France and Spain.

| Germany, France and Spain.
Our special dispatches from London this
morning confirm the news that has been
already printed in reference to a misunder-
standing between France and Germany SO far
as Spain Is concerned. The Germans, as our
readers know, have taken offence at the sum-
mary execution of German correspondent
by the troops Of Don Carlos. They propose
to show their resentment and, if possible, to
punish the offenders But as naval cam
palgn against the Carlists, who are intrenched
in the rugged, inaccessible hills of Biscay,
would be as absurd and impossible proceed
ing as campaign against the Apaches with
gunboats, the Berlin government naturally
and instincively turns to France. The
French can, if they choose, punish the
Carllsts, because the frontier is under French
control and has been practically base of sup
plies for Don Carlos. Now the Germans insist
that because the Carlsts have killed a German
the French shall punish them. They also
give Serrano and his illegal government as
surances of sympathy, and urge him to make
demonstration against France, and propose,
as correspondent says, to have the Brussels
Conference unite in favor of a general recog-
nihon Of the Spanish Republic by the Euro
pean Powers.
This is certainly keen diplomacy Bis
marck's murdered German becomes Of great
use to him. He has pretext which he finds
convenient, although he does not always pause
to find one when he has something to gain.
He not only kills one bird with one stone but
has good chance at whole flock Of them.
He humiliates France, which is always pleas
ant thing to do. He annoys the legitimists.
who believe in the Pope and Don Carlos. He
hatters the Spanish rulers, who will deal more
strenuously with France now that they
have behind them the powerful German
Minister He sows distrust between
France and Spain and destroys the natural
alliance that sympathy in religion and lam
guage and customs would establish. Having
alienated Italy on one side of France and
Belgium on the other, he now solicts Spain.
In the event of another war with Germany an
alliance between Prussia and Spain, or even q
good understanding, would render French
army necessary to watch the Pyrenees. That,
at least, would be one army less to fight-not
an unimportant consideration either when the
battle really comes.
1t is urged that France should recognize
Spain, and thus anticipate Bismarck and in
some way keep his influence out of Madrid.
This may be done. We can well understand
how France would resent German influence in
Spain. Nothing could be more CALLING to
French pride than the policy which Bismarck
has suddenly pressed upon MacMahon, for
all the traditions Of France since
Louis XIV. are opposed to it. There has not
been time within two hundred years when
policy like Bismarck's would not have been fol-
lowed by French army over the Rhine. But
there will be no war Poor France has had to
submit to affronts far more serious than this
Spanish intrigue. Her rulers feel that for this
year and many years perhaps their duty is to
submit in silence to whatever affront Germany
puts upon them. In this they show great wis
dom and add another to the already long list
of wrongs which, when the time comes, will
justify France in resenting and compelling
Germany to undo at the risk of another war.
This is our reading of the Spanish German
problem. France means to fight when she is
ready, not when Bismarck is ready Bismarck
is very ready now, and SO France submits,
protests and waits