The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-15
cApRrvr ON WAR WITH FRANCE
An Extract from tho ,Chancellor's Recent
speech in the Reichstng.

DURING bis apoech on tho Army bill In the
Imperinl Parliament on Dec. =. Chancellor
Won Caprivi took up the subject Of o possible
war win france. III 'he CULTS" Vi h' ~
marks no said:
"w,, h,rn no,,;,e, ~ dosiro nd nothin- 10
We nave ho'''"s w "'''' ~, Wv"
demand from other nations 1t is true that
n,,,,,, 49, .T,a ,,iiitarr hnr,ons vbich Wa
argument ms hii'aty ou'"e"S VIZ" We
SIN viii hocnmo insunn,rtnhle in III. long
,,,n VI, !, ~, T.. 49, o., ant n, ona 20
rum M'uu !. no, 90 oe.'et 10 w.. al n, onu W
tho favorable moment. and by the success that
40. ,,,, Ie, ,,n s.aur, t,r ours.,yns
W. van 'opo io'' sccuro 'ot "isei'os
once moro IA peace OF twenty or thirty
years. Tint IL n style OF reasoning
,, Witch ,hn .,r,od,r,,aJ oo,or,,srts md
I" "h'ch 'he cohiederntcd governments ana
the German people. attcr mature reflection.
would neynr nrrcc Without counting th, oh.
,.,io. ~,
]ec''ohs thht might be made from moral
point of view to such a proceeding. the pro-
ainicui,ioo w., ,,,i,,,t 80 -. $685..
we misht make u ueiehsiSe war
from political point of view and an offensive
war from n military ,oini ~ yj.,r INT tho
preycu,iy, war f., which ,ro ,r. ,rrit,, ~,
hay, recourse woui ho an offensive war,
both In u political and military sense And
il we should unler,'L. s,,oi, 'v"'' ,,r e" ~
...,, "'ie' 'i>o such war IL
"ou'" lie necessary first Of all to have an ex-
act appreciation Of the cost IF IN. v;ct,rv
lat N ,.l /, Al.
,, ~ wv VS. ''''''''. ''i.t we should attack
france |" ru' an end TO tho difficult situation
the price Of the vctory Va a MEat w. would be
mex u square ki!om tire OF French ierritnrr
r@ G mi, int" the "rmn mriro people WHO
rassment Tor Us. N'"'
Even when we took the French milliords vo
thorn in those mliinris When ,. =" .. .nn,a
10 US with IT," adric" to taka some French
colonies. I always say tina, we already hnv"
,lNitt enough to do with
colonies would create difficulties Tor us and
MOT " n to at Il hs els ha N we ss,
yentiNe war. But let US admit what the con
federated governments do not admit namely.
we could only undertake. it in the hone Of
hsing ah,e TO ENJOY utter the struggle a re rioi
Tor today.
will ask you to reco'lrc! that when We
Il ay SH Sa
continEents o! South Germany. and that only
eight French army corps wcr" onrosed to US.
10 show thnt IN the future war II would not he
so easy fnrus to win brilliant Victories a. it
would find opposed to us Frciich army corps at
lenst quite as numerous as those with which
we should begin the campaign. We would
find moreover. an army OF reserve which would
TO-, TO- "n " as strong ,h in nont Of nnm.rrs as
ns ms a wm o. ' ne ' Im, ,ihs ana IN eneriye,
we encountered in tho days ot tiambet;a'
"Eu, suppose that We crossed Tie frontierand
were victorious, even without tie numerical
superiority that We had IN lS1O-and don't for
get that ws should be otlgen to leaye !. Dor
frontier. lcrause We could no longer count. as
in 1870. upon the good will Of Russia what
would we ind. \ line of ,o.ls carefully IRE
pared for years ana fins heh with everything
which mriern svirncn can oifcr. These forts
9re situated on lie Mossile and '' on tho The
Mouse. the passage If which presents natural
difficulties enough. il woull be necessary
10 taHc several Of these forts If We wished 10
ycnclrnts ;.ll further into France Then wr