Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-19

Ansvvcr Of the London Times 70 the
Paris Figaro. -s. .-t.
AN INSPIRED REPLY-PACIFIC INTENTIONS OF
THE THREE POWERS IN ALLIANCE-wHAT THE
CHANCELLOR SAYS.

AN INSPIRED REPLY-PACIFIC INTENTIONS OF
THE THREE POWERS IN ALLIANCE-wHAT THE
CHANCELLOR SAYS
The London Times under date Of June z,
publishes the following article from It's Paris
correspondent
an. Leo Lavedan recently published in the
Figaro an article entitled lie Secret de Bis
marck.' According to NJ. Lavedan, Bismarck's
secret consists in trying to reconcile italy with
the pope, in then making Italy provoke France
to war, in coming to the aid Of Italy to crush
her foe, and in proceeding to dismember France,
Italy would not only take Nice and Savoy, but
would go as far as the Var and would take pos
session OF Corsica, which would become per-
manent menace to TOulon and Marseilles Ger
many would take what remains of Lorraine, in
Guiding Nancy. Belgium would take French
Flanders, Switzerland Chablais, Spain Roussll-
lon and slice of Gascony, and lastly, for her
neutrality, England would have q port on the
French coast Of the Channel. NJ. Lavedan, who
in general is a writer Of much wit and talent,
says these things with perfect gravity, adding
that they are not mere idle rumOrs, but precise
facts brought to the knowledge Of government
by trustworthy men.
Son what, then does he base his statement?
First, on Signor Mancini's speech and the Triple
Alliance; then on the evolution Of the Depretis
Cabinet, which has broken with Irredentism; on
the effort made to bring about a rapprocheme,H
between Italy and the Pope, and, lastly, on the
Journey Of Field Marshal Won MOltke. who has
just been inspecting the Franco Italian frontier
NJ. Lavedan's conclusions are ingenious for 80
fragile basis. The Triple Alliance, he argues,
is directed against France. If the Depretis
Cabinet has thrown over Irredentism and re-
nounced all compensation on the side Of Aus
tria, it Is because Italy will have her share on
the side Of France. II endeavors are made to
reconcile italy and the Pope. the reason is that,
once freed from the hostility of the Vatican,
and receiving its support, Italy would have only
France to contend with. If Marshal Won Moltke
has been inspecting the Franco-Italian frontier,
it is because the time for the conflict is at hand
and the great strategist wishes to give some
last advice; and. lastly, if Prince Bismarck
wishes to dismember France 1t is because the
monarchy is coming, and he desires that only
France incapable Of being regenerated should
be left to it,
This style Of reasoning, though ingenious,
cannot stand serious criticism. Signor Depretis
desired to remain a liberal monarchy. 'We
used the revolution the king said some time
ago to man for whose truthfulness I can
answer. 'to effect unity, because when you are
small you must use every means; but now we
must show that we are no longer In state of
revolution, and that we are regularly consti-
tuted monarchy Well, Signor Depretis has not
done otherwise than was expected Indeed,
how could he work along with men whose policy
Is to Oyerturn mOnarchies? 60 -' E" 7''''
1.-THE reconciliation between Italy and the
pope is directed against nobody. It is a
consequence OF 1taly's liberal monarchical evo-
luton. The Vatican and Italy equally regret
the present state Of things. Piux TX. left
to his successors the terrible burden of
the voluntary imprisonment which embtters
the. existence of Leo XIII. L am ready
said the pope a few days ago, to enter
eternity; and my successor will do as do, die
prisoner In the vatican, if the holy see does
not obtain the worthy independence to which it
words show the Pope's distress; but the distress
OF the Quirinal is not less. The king is obliged
to take everything into account down to SUPER
stition. There is part OF the Quirfnal which Is
accommodated. 1t Is deserted. The at
PENDANTS prefer a garnet in the non-excom-
inundated portion to the finest apartment in
the communicated part. The emperor of
Austria has not returned the kings visit at
Rome. How could he do so? Could he come
to Rome without visiting the pope? And how
ana where could the pope return his visit7
Many other endorsements are produced by
the present situation. do not know whether
an arrangement will be made-I do not think
there will be one for the present-butY Hhat is
there in these endeavors to issue from an
embarrassing situation that can be viewed "a
hostile to France?
AS regards Marshal Won Moltke, we should be
always on the brink Of war if every time the
great strategist made plans war were immi-
nent. Immediately after the peace of Frankfort
Count Moltke resumed his strategical studies.
There is not a spot in Europe which they do not
embrace; he certainly knows the new French
frontier as well as those who traced it, and
nope that In this respect France is as well in
formed about Germany as Germany is about
France. He has evidently been examining the
Jfoli md L4
draw up plan Of campaign on the Italian
frontier, which could no doubt be consulted if
necessary. Only the necessity may never arise.
Was 1t on plan drawn up few days before
hand that the Germans entered France in 1870?
NJ. Lavedans story moreover, Is not compli-
mentary to France. Her frontiers are reported
by competent men to be admirably drawn, forth
fed and connected. The so-called '.trO,ske de
Betort." which in 1875 the Germans compared
to thorn in the feet" is formidable barrier;
and behind all these ramparts France, armed as
she is, could brave the combined armies of three
powers, 1t is reprehensible mistake, there
fore, to set up such theories on such slende {
grounds. .,...
The object Of the Triple Alliance is the preser
vatiOn OF peace, and it is to preserve it that a
Is guarded against. But Russia would not lend
herself to such an understanding Just as
France Is well able to resist at home Russia is
little able to do SO. Her army in Poland would
De iOst whenever Austria and Germany attacked
her. and her cooperation would be DESTROYED
before she could give any manifestation of it,
Hence the AustrO-German alliance suffces to
paralyze Franco-Russian alliance. But Italy
having joined Austria and Germany the posi-
billy OF the latter alliance is more removed than
ever; yet neither France nor peace on that ac-
count runs any danger.
The NY. Herald says: "The significance of the
reply lies In the fact that it is evidently inspired
from Berlin. The Figaro had indicated several
reasons for believing that the recent political
manoeuvers of italy were related to projects of
the triple alliance for provoking quarrel with
France: Its argument attracted attention
throughout Europe"
Streeter, Who Fought With the
ApacheS.
From the Tombstone Republican
few days since Hermoslllo dispatch an