New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-21
/ DIpLOuiylC FPlLOGTE.


The abrogation Of the fifth article Of the
Treaty of Prague is the most characteristic
bit OF statecraft with which Bismarck has
favored Europe since the peace negotiations
with Theirs and Favrc. The time was when,
as he Himself has said, be paid as little heed to
Austrian diplomacy ~ to the wind blowing down
the chimney. At the outset he di>trusted the
diplomats OF Vienna a. the trained pupils OF
Mcttcriich then ne duped them into joining
him in an attack upon Denmark; then he
quarrclled with them over the spOil7 OF war,
and after the sudden collapse of the Austrian
arms in Bohemia he condemned them III the
Treaty OF Prague to sign away their rights IN
Germany; and now, after thirteen years OF
active association, during which he has helped
them 70 regain prestige in European councils,
be- induces them 10 cut ont Of that humiliatng
treaty The only clause which gave them
the right to intervene i'll the affairs of the
Fathcrand
II is true that this article was practically as
inoporativc rs the ru.ticst dead letter OF
medieval treaty law. 1t was inserted in the
treaty at the suggestion OF Napoleon ILL
for some Interior purpose, which Benedcttl,
in his account of his mission in Prussia,
does not disclose. II stipulated chat Tie
organizations of the northern districts OF
"Sclleswig, If they ever by free vote should
"exprcSs the wish for reunion with Denmark,
,bouli be restored to that country" Austria
never has laid any stress upon this condition
Of peace, and now she has formally re-
uolpced the right of enforcing It, 1t never
rrDresented any real interest OF the dual
monarchy, for obviously the Vienna dipl0-
mats could have no wish to restore tO the
Danes what they had helped to wrest from
them in 1864, and thereby to reopen cOntrO-
vcrsy from which they would have nothing to
gan Il was one of the French intrigucr'S
meddc.omc whims-One of those airy moth
ings wreathed with mystery on which he was
wont to waste his genius for trickery. An
Grassy brushed it aside IA soon as Bismarck
asked the favor Yet when it was done,
when the fifth article of the Treaty of Prague
was annullcd, all that remained of Austrian
influence in Germany was wiped ont. 1t was
tho last trace of tho predomlnance of Vienna
diplomacy IN the Fathcrland. Yet ii was on
the threshold Of the present century, when
NapoleOn's arms shook the thrones of Europe,
that the historic Holy Roman Empire was
broken up; and it was only thirteen years ago
that the system, which MettcrnIch devised
in 1911 as substitute for STEMS parlla-
mentary and democratic Germany, and which
had withstood tho pressure of two revolutions,
at last fell to pieces.
What the German Chancellor had to gain
from the abrogation Of this article Is not ap-
parent. 1t has been intimated that his action
wa, prompted by the reception accorded at
Copenhagen to body OF HanOVcrians who
went thither to congratulate the Duke of
Cumberland on his marriage with the Princess
Thyra. This is the great-grandsOn of George
Ill. of England, and the son Of George w.,
who lost his throne and died in exile. lie has
not only ycnturrd to marry Danish princess.
but has refused to rcnouncc his claim upon
his fathers kingdom and also upon the
Brunswick succession, 10 which he viii have
an undeniable priority when the present Duke
OF brunswick dies Altogether he was nOt
,uch son-in-aw as Bismarck would have
recommended to the good graccs Of the
KING of Denmark But while thesc recent
complications may have brought this dplo-
matte contract to light, they had nothing
whatever to- do with lis inception, Tor the
article of the treaty was abroCatcd early in
October OF last year, before Che Duke Of Cum
bcrlands addresses had been accepted by the
Princess, and even before hc had avowrd his
hostility to the Emperor OF Germany. But
whatever may be the secret of this diplomatic
hyplay, it forms an cpiloSuc to the statesman
ship Of Bismarck whereby Germany has been
united under the leadership OF Prussia and
made the strongest State IN EUROPE The
curtain rose when Two great States, Jealous Of
each other, invaded the scandinavian King
dom. Events have been moving last. The
end has come. Austria now has nothing IN
common with Germany.