Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-31


enlist under the socialist banner and main
tain that somebody owes them and their j
families easyawbtk At high wages, with
proper amouneof evening entertainment.
letot -.
The armiestofl Russia, Germany, France,
Austria Hungary and Italy amount TO nearly
100000 on a war footing Russia alone
has 100000 soldiers in camp and garrison
ready to MARCH on days notice. Poor
Italy is strainpg, every financial nerve, in
creasng ner debtand her taxes, to maintain
position among the great military powers
! Of Europe, while her working people are
starving by thousands. Industrial and demo-
cratic France Is obliged TO support stand
ing army of n half million OF men for fear OF
| her neighbors. The philosophic Germans,
who hate war, would like to disband their
| armies, but they are prevented from doing
so by their dread of the great military power
| IN the north ana of their ancient enemy be-
| yond the Rhine. The masses Of Europe
| have no interest in the questions that divide
the continent into hostile camps. To
them the "balance Of powern is a mere
fiction of diplomacy. They do not care
a fig whether the Russians or Austrians
| gain political supremacy in the Balkan
| Peninsula. But the European masses
| would be immensely the gamers by disband-
| ing the vast armies that are supported in
| idleness IN camp and garrison out of the
| earnings of their labor. There is not a
| peasants cottage on the Rhine or the Dan
| ube in which would not be felt the beneh-
| cent influence of this change of policy.
| Whatever may be the degree Of truth con-
| cerning Chancellor Bismarcks present pur-
| poses, 1t is certain that his statesmanship is
| rapidly bringing about condition OF things
| In Europe that will make disarmament feas-
! ible in the near future With the triple ALI
ance Of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy
| 1t is evident from recent movements that
| Great Britain has perfect understanding.
In this situation the military power of Rus
| sia alone would remain as menace to the
peace of Europe and as an obstacle to a gen.
| eral disarmament But should the Russian
| bear obstinately refuse assent to so wise and
| humane policy it would be necessary for
| the European powers to confne HIM in his
| northern businesses and extract his claws
! -
0Colossal earthworks have been constructed
| for the defense of Paris since 1872 These
| new works have involved an outlay of
$115, 900, 900, and they will need a garrison of
at least 1906 soldiers. They inclose, more
L
collectively accommodate nearly half mil
lion compatants. Stupendous as is the sum
| expended on these new Notifications, they
are far from perfect, there being two dan
gerously wide gaps in the outer circle. What
| is the theory on which the French parlia-
/ ment have proceeded in lavishing on the de-
| fense of the French capital a sum not much
| smaller than the war indemnity exacted in
| 1871! The theory that Paris is as vitality es-
sental to France as the neart is to the hu-
| man body, and that the capture of the capi-
| tai would inevitably involve the conquest
| of the country. Such is not the case
| with any other European capital as history
| has demonstrated; not with Berlin, or VII
| enna or Moscow, or Madrid. It was not so
with Paris itself ia former centuries. The
English held Paris In the fifteenth century
for some time after it was obvious that their
| cause was lost in France. In the next CEN
tury the league controlled Paris against
| Henri III. and Henri w., and nevertheless
the league was vanquished. The F'rondeurs
| were masters of Paris ct one period during
| the minority of Louis XIV, but, for all that,
| the Bronde was unsuccessful. Neither is it
| certain that the,capitulation of Paris in 1914
| would have entailed the abdication of Napo-
| leon had not the latter exhausted the re-
| sources and the patience Of the French peo-
| Pile.
~
The most conspicuous feature of the from
tier between France and Germany are the
| parallel lines of railway. The French es
pecially have been constructing railroads on
| their side of the line, and quito close to it at
| tinies, from the territory Of Luxembourg to
the neighborhood of Belfour. Those roads
| are intended to transport troops and military
! stores. 1t may be said of the German rail
| ways that they are all strategic Their mill
tary capacities are carefully studied and
known, and each freight car has painted on
it the number Of men or horses that make
up its complement. So thoroughly is the
frontier between the German empire and
the French republic fortified on both sides,
and so costly it would be to the aggressor to
force his way, it is the presumption of
| military men that in case OF an outbreak
of hostilities, no attempt would be made on
either side to pass the lines where the
hostile territories are contiguous, but that
the stroke delivered by the one first In the
field in force would be through either Switz-
erland or Belgium. Germany is least prs
tected on the Swiss frontier, and If the
weight of Russia were thrown upon her so
| that she could not take the offensive against
| france, Lne preValllnP tneOry ID bne Frencn
would invade Southern Germany through
Switzerland, and perhaps at the same time
make diversion by way of Belgium How
ever, it might occur to some general that the
most direct method would be the better one,
and that he could, with the rush of army
corps directed to pierce the center, force the
fighting on the line between Metz and Stras-
burg, with the probability of decisive COM
bats north of the Yosges, in the valley of
the Moselle.
| Whatever the degree OF progress made
toward Germanizing Alsace-L lorraine, it is
fortunate for the conquered provinces that
Emperor William is satisfied with the evil
dcnce of loyalty he has found there. In this
respect his tour to Strasburg, Metz and their
surroundings is fortunate also for the peace
of Europe The contrast drawn, however,
between the political condition of Alsace-
Lorraine now and two years ago is perhaps
exaggerated. Then there were military
plans at stake. but how there is no supten-
nate army bill before the reictstag, and the
military establishnHnt is provided for until