New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-07
THE QUESTION BETUEEN FRANCE AND
GERMANY

GERMANY.
The agitation which arose in consequence
of the demand of Germany upon Belgium
has died away in great measure. 1t was
somewhat 0ppeaScd by the action or the
German Government in disavOwing the too
Jealous utterances of semi-oificial paper the
pacfying assurances given by the English
Ministry in Parliament had also calming
effect: and the course of the Belgian Govern
mcut itself in Offering all possible guarantees
for its loyal and ncghborly conduct left the
supposed quarrel no excuse for existing. But
the alarm which this temporary furry
raised has naturally driven the public mind in
Germany, France, and England to even more
than usual contemplation OF the procariOus re-
lations of the two former powers, and the re-
suit il, as might be expected, something like
panic in regard to the intentions of Germany.
This constantly recurring and most injurious
agitation must be disappointment to all those
who imagined that all which was needed to Sc
cure the peace of Europe for centuries to come
was the establishment of a strong military ma
ton in the cclter of the continent
But there seems to be no remedy for it, 1t
is inherent in the very nature OF things that
whenever anything happens to set people to
thinking earnestly upon the relations OF these
two countries to each other, the result shall
be rumOrs of coming wars. After all wars
there is an element Of danger i'll the discOn-
tent of the beaten side, and its vigilant search
for new alliances and resources to begin again.
But in the present case neither side is satisfied
with the actual situation. No frcnchman, II
he uttcrs his honest sentiments, imagines that
Alsncc and Lorraine are lost to France forever.
II il not so much the lost prestige
which the nation mourns as its rayishcd
proyinces, and it holds it's honor moro
strictly engaged to recover the latter than the
former. Besides this, the French feel that they
have five miiards of francs invested in their
hostility TO Prussia. They feel that it would
be simply throwing away that much money II
they should now look forward only to peace
and forego all hope of revenge. Therefore no.
body in France breaches peace; no politician
would risk his chance of favor by advising
good will and reconciliation toward Prussia.
The utmost they will do is to counsel patience
and endurance, that FIR nee may rebuild her
shattered prosperity and restore the strength
wasted in her terrible trials.
There is no more really pacific feeling in
Germany than there il in Franco. The leading
statesmen frankly say that the penalty of their
grand success is that they must be forever
ready to defend il; that only the sword can
keep what the sword has won. Thus far all
are agreed, but very large and influential
party 20 much further. They believe that
France is not passiyely but actively hostile
that she is almost ready to reconmence hos
tities, and that it is necessary TO cripple or
\ l,..r n AL
They point to the fact that she paid her five
milliards before they were due, miracu-
lous exhibition Of reserved energy and
force, which would have been impOs-
sbe to any other European nation
Now, the object OF that enormous cxGcton was
40 TO weaken and embauass her financially
that she could not reasonably hope to furnish
forth another military chest in a generation.
This calculation having utterly failed so that
the financial position of France IL now as
strong as ever these advocates of immediate
action argue that the work so bungled must
be done over again; That France must DO con-
1ucrcd once more before her now armies arc or
gained, and that this time she must be literally
made too weak to fight again. If she will not
fight, then now treaty should be forced upon
her, which shall limit her army, take another
fortress OF two, and mortgage her resources for
years to come.
This may all be visionary and chimerical,
but there is enough of logic in it to beguio
the hopes of many Germans, fill the columns
of some Of their newspapers, and excite the
utmost apprehension and Indignation in France.
Ii is useless to talk of cold reason or justice to
two peoples holding the relations now existing
between these recent antagonists. They arc
enemies and not friends, and they cannot re-