The herald., 1894-02-26
EUROPE IN ARMS.


between France and Germany he was
the American consul-gensrsl at Brus-
sells. His consulate was daily filled
with Americans who had relatives and
friends shut up in Paris during the
siege, and when the war closed many of
the German officers took Belgium in on
their way horne. To one OF these off,
GERS he deplorsd the fact that Germany
had included in itn terms OF peace
the cession to that nation Of the
two provinces, Alsace and Lorraine.
The German officer thought that Will
liam and Bismarck had done the right
thing, to. which General Chetlain re-
Piled: "If you had doubled or trepled
the enormous fine OF five milliards,
France would have gradually paid it.
and when that had been accomplished
goodwill would again have been estab-
lished between the two countries. But
when you tore from her two of her de-
psrtments you aroused the permanent
hatred of France, q hatred that will
never sleep until she has exhausted all
the warlike means in her power to re-
cover the territory taken from her."
And nothing could be more true. A
high-spiritsd people could soon forget
the loss of money, but never the dis
membsrment of their native land.
What has Germany gained by adding
the two provinces to her country? She
is compelled to keep an immense army
always ready for war in them, 20 as to
preserve order and terrorize submission
amongst q largely hostile people. 1t lie
true that these two Rhinsl provinces
give Germany the advantage of an open
door for any future invasion of France,
but that very fact has forced France to
increase its army prodigiously. and as a
consequence Germany, not to be behind
her rival, also to increase her military
power in proportion. Thus France has
been compelled since 1871 to spend more
milliards to maintain her greatly in
creased army than Germany could in
decency have imposed on her when she
had her by throat; and the army
budget Of Germany has been growing
every year, until now it reaches tigur 9
which large German party does not
hesitate to say is greater than the coun-
try can stand.
But the evils which the Wrestling oil
the two provinces from France caused
do not stop here. The increase OF the
armies of the two antsgonistic coun-
tries has forced all the other CONT
mental powers, for their own safety, to
maintain in time of peace greater
armies than they ever raised even in
times Of war. The number of men who
may be summoned to arms in all the
countries of Europe was in 1892, % ,248.'
coo. This is an appalling advance upon
the armies of 1869, which only mus
tered 6,958, 900. France, Germany, Rus.
sis, Austria and Italy are the countries
that maintain the big bsttalions. The
three first named had in 1859 over q
million each, but now Germany il
credited with 100000, France with
1850, 900 and Russia with 100000
The army of Austria is estimated al
1000, 900, and that OF Italy at 1926, 900
Turkey is supposed to be capable of
putting into the field 1,150, 900, but this
estimate is hardly to be taken seriously.
England has an army of 602, 900, but
this includes 300. 900 volunteers who are
not liable for service outside the coun-
try, and of the remainder over half is
constantly needed in India.
This appalling increase of the armies
of Europe is all due to the fatal deter
mination of Germany to wrest tive
provinces from the map of France.
AS matters now stand in Germany
there is large and growing party there
which revolts at the idea of making
further military sacrifices, and are
struggling with all their might against
adding more battalions to the army.
But how 10 the remedy to be brought
about? There is only one way in which
these gigantic military establishments
can be reduced, and that is by disarma-
ment based on q general plan. Blu
disarmament In the present state o.
feeling 10 impossible. To be effective II
would have to be proportionste, and
neither France nor Germany would take
the first steps towards the weakening o.
its military power. As an alternative
each of the powers strains its resources
to maintain the lsrgest army it can. ant
both France and Italy are compelled t.
supplement their land forces with {
great feet as we'll. We can see no hope
for the reduction of the immense armies
until the limit of exhaustion is reached
in the rival countries. The resources O
France are greater than those OF Ger
many, and that fact may leave hel
stronger than that country when the
limit is reached.
Europe in arms in time of peace il
one of the most discouraging spectacler
that could be presented. Nor have WI
the right to hope that another clash Of
arms would better the condition. With
another war, no matter how it ended
there would be engendered other embit-
terments. and when peace came, il
u