, 1874-03-28

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
was to be hoped that the world in course of time
would abandon distrust of Germany's intentions.
For the present if the House thought the cOun-
try wanted a strong and powerful army, they
could not, in his opinion, do less than endorse
the Government Bill"
After an advanced Liberal and a Socialist
had both spoken against the Bill, and a few
moderate members had expressed themselves
in a more favourable spirit, the matter was
handed over to a Special Commission. In all
probability, that Commission will be Induced
to recommend the House to vote the present
Estimates and organization, nor, indeed, in
perpetuity, as Government require, but for a
period Of five, ten, or perhaps even twelve
years, according to the counter concessions
made by Ministers. To be acceptable, those
concessions must principally refer to the
time of service and the cost of the troops. AS
regards the former, Government have even
now practically reduced it to two years and
three months, instead of three years, at least
for the infantry, and as the figure of 401,0 900
is to remain stationary, notwithstanding the ra-
pid increase of the population, it is evident that
if the proportion of able-bOdied men enlisted is
uOb W uGCIEdSO SbGdulINy IL ~ Il6 Illu6 Vi ser
vice that must be diminished. AS Germany,
for economical reasons, does not enlist more
than two. thirds of her able-bodied men, it is not
likely that the military authorities will content
themselves with less in the future, in view of
the immense ornaments going on in France.
This, then, seems to involve a practical guaran-
tee of the reduction of the time of service, and
the question, therefore, can only be whether
the Government will consent to enact in so
many words what they have virtually conced-
ed. Strange to say, their refusal to allow this
10 years ago, at the time of the constitutional
controversy, seems to make them consider it a
point of honour not to yield now. Should this
~punctiliO prove inSurmOuntable, we NAV, per
haps, look forward to an animated contest re-
speeding the cost of the individual soldier, hith-
erto fixed at 225 thalers a year, and now to be
raised to 500 thalers Notwithstanding the
rise in the price of provisions, and, indeed, of
all commodities, this increase is 50 very great
that if no compromise can be effected on the
service question, something will probably have
to be yielded in money matters. Still it would
be useless to deny that in the present state of
Europe, the Government are in a position to
put the strongest pressure on the House, and
that the moderate Majority will ultimately al
most vote anything, though with Wailing and
crashing of teeth. That Germany should be
forced into such an expenditure by the attitude
of her many neighbours is a growing source of
irritation here that the schools and civil SER
vice-a fact even admitted by Count Moltke in
his speech-should grievously suffer under the
i%nf1iction adds gall to the bitter pill. There is
a feeling that, unless safety can be secured
without the prospect of letting culture and adj
ministration succumb, the time is drawing near
when 1e jcu ne rant pas la chandeUe.