The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-01-14
CAPRIvI ON THE ARMY BILL.
Demanded bv the Offensive Policy, which
Is the Best Policy for Germany.


Is the Best Policy for GERMANY
BERLIN, Jan. 13,-Chancellor Won Cap.
rivi last night attended meeting of the
Rcichstag committee OF twenty. eight,
appointed to consider the army bill,
and mado an important speech, setting
forth the necessity for the adoption of
the bill without change or modification.
He said tho relations existing between
Germany and Russia were friendly. II
an attack was made upon the triple al
liance-Germany, Austria and Italy
the chief onslaught would doubtless be
directed against Germany as the strong
est member. Experience has shown
that when war threatened it was best
for Germany to take the offensive To
do that would require that the armies
of the triple alliance have considerable
numerical superiority. AS matter of
fact, the trip alliance was in the minor
ity in point Of numbers.
Germany's long eastern frontier
especially could only be protected by
employing offensive tactics. An often.
slve policy was good policy. 1t meant
short wars with quick victories and last
ing results. All this could be obtained
only by assuming the offensive Ger
many's present forces would no longer
suffice against the increased strength
of their might be opponents. The gov
eminent, therefore, would not be able
to take the responsibility Of the future
defense of the country unless the arma.
ments were increased.
OF the extraordinary expenditure
caused by tho bill, which amounts to
100000 marks, G,sOO,OOO are to be
contributed by Bavaria, Al, SPA, SIT marks
by Prussia, and the remainder divided
between Saxony and Wurtenburg. Tho
proposed increase IN the strength of tho
army by ,S57 non. commissioned officers
and 72.037 privates is to be divided
partly among new and partly among old
organizations. Apart from the estimated
increase in the army, the removal of the
"Recruten VacanZ'-that is, tho period
between the dismissal of one batch of re-
cruits and tho enrolment of the next--is
equivalent to fresh yearly increase in
Prussia's contingent of 2,25) non. COM
missioned officers and l4,525 privates.
France, he said, was in q state of fer
ment. Though there was no states
man in that country at the present mo-
ment of such prominence as to be likely
toseize power, tho probability of die.
tatorship was not to DO excluded from
German calculations.
VI ouc ICHOWtl vi LuC tElDlO
alliance upon the expiration Of
the present treatise, the chan
cellor said that a renewal, though
hoped for, was not absolutely certain
The chief object Of the alliance with
Italy, he said, was to secure Austria's
southern frontier against France. He
did not doubt the efficiency of the Aus
trian and Italian armies. although
some weakL ess in their organization
still existed.
The chancellor laid much stress upon
Won Moltke's statement: 1--WE are able
to ward off an attack from France;
otherwise the German Emp ire could not
exist. Even il we lose the first battle,
we have the Rhine defenses, which are
not equaled in tho world beside Metz
and Strasburg. II, however, two Of our
neighbors united and attacked us, we
would require the assistance of another
power"
VIENNA, Jan. 12.- Tho Wiener Tage-
blat publishes what is claimed to be an
inspired synopsis of tho Franco. Russian
convention or protocol that was signed
by France and Russia last November.
According to this convention, each
nation, in the evont of war, is to place
t00,0O troops in tho field within six
weeks. Ultimately each country is to
place 1,200, 900 soldiers in the field
Neither stion is to conclude a peace
without the other also agrees to it.