The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-16

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Germany and the Army Bill.
The Prussian government has won new
victory in the German Parliament After a
long and angry struggle between the Prussian
element and the elements representing the
new States OF the German Confederation the
farhament has accepted compromise measures
proposed by Prussia and passed the Army bill
Our readers, we fear, have only vaguely under
stood the character and intensity of this
struggle. The Prussian government has never
been very conciiatory in its dealings with
representative bodies, and we fear that, if the
Parliament had been simply an expression of
Prussian sentiment the Emperor would have
found rude and peremptory way of answer
ing its objections. In the quarrels which
marked the early part of the royal reign the
Emperor carried his point by the use of abso-
Lutte power. and earned for himself reputa-
ton for tyranny which was only destroyed
or better, perhaps, atoned by Sadowa and
Sedan. But q German Parliament is q far
different body from the old Prussian Legis-
lature. 1t represents governments who came
into the Confederation with reluctance; some
Of them driven into it by the stress of success
full war; others, like Bavaria and Saxony,
compelled to accept the relation as penalty
for alliances with Austria. The representa-
tives of these old kingdoms must receive more
delicate treatment than that vouchsafed to
mere Prussians. Accordingly we have had
series of unusual efforts on the part of the
government to compel the acceptance of the
official measure.
The Emperor, for instance, on the occasion
of his birthday, as reported by our German
correspondents the other day, referred to the
crisis hanging over the army as an ex-
traordinary crisis, and expressed his resolution
to sustain by the power of the sword all that
the sword had gained. He could not hold
Alsace and Lorraine, for instance, without
keeping an army of four hundred thousand
men 'ready to march" This opinion was
strengthened by the declaration of Moltke
that it would require fifty years of large
standing army and armed occupation of the
annexed provinces to confirm their conquest.
This opinion he sustains by more recent
and somewhat declamatory statement that
Germany found it necessary to skeep her hand
on the sword" in consequence of the shouts for
revenge and that disarmament would mean
war" Then we have Prince Bismarck in q
tempestuous and dramatic attitude Accord
ing to an inspired German chronicler the
Prince recently summoned certain Deputies to
his bedside and declared that he sscould not
sacrifice his European reputation, and that as
soon as he could hold his pen in his hand he
would send in his resignation" The Prince
saw only two ways to save the realm from the
difficulties surrounding it. his own retire
ment or q dissolution of Parliament The
result Of this unusual pressure is that the Par
Lament and the Prussian government have
come to an agreement The Army bill has
been passed in an amended form and peace
once more prevails.
But there are certain pregnant thoughts
that should not be overlooked. We have all
along been told by truculent fellow citizens at
home Jealous about the German vote, that the
Frenchmen are either towards or monkeys;
that it was o pity Bismarck did not dis
member and annex the country. Evidently
the Emperor does not think so or he would
not crave the constant presence and readiness
of four hundred thousand armed men. We
have been assured also that Alsace and Lor-
raine were in heart and sympathy German,
and longed for the hour when they could
again meet the motherly embrace Of dear old,
bereft Germania. Most assuredly Moltke
holds contrary opinion or he would not ask
for 6fty-year standing army to hold the prov
inces 1t has also been cheerfully believed
that the result Of the last war was the paralysis
of the power of France and her degrade
ton into second rate position among the ma
tions. Prince Bismarck labors under no such
delusion or he would not have staked his reign
upon the fate of an army bill. Moreover, all
the beatific assurances of peace that have
fallen from the governing lips of Germany,
of perpetual peace growth in arts and the in
dustries, harmonious alliances and SO on,
were evidently hopes and visions, not express
sions of belief. For it seems that peace can
only be preserved by an aggregate OF standing
armies and an expenditure of treasure such as
the world has never seen.
No wonder that Germany is restless. No
wonder men who love their Fatherland hasten
TO leave home in such numbers that the emf
grafton problem is now one of the most en-
barrassing in the German policy. Germany
sees now that she made mistake in her con-
test with France. Instead OF making war upon
Napoleon, as the Emperor avowed to be his
purpose, he permitted himself to make war
upon France. From having the sympathies
OF the world he excited its resentment. In
stead of building up Germany he sought to
destroy France. Ignoring the spirit Of the
nineteenth century, that no great and free
people can be governed without their consent,
he rudely annexed two French provinces and
condemned them to half century of martial
law. Rather than 80 make war that Franco