New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-19
wAy OFT OF THE EASTERN QUESTION.
THE RESTORATION OF METZ SUGGESTED AS
BASIS OF MEETING BETWEEN FHANcS
AVN GERMANY,

pAsIs OF MEETING BETWEEN FRANCE
AND GERMANY.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Cir. Fannv Kemble's pithy saying ut does not
take a statesman to prove that siaVe'' 10 We,
hut II does take a statesman 10 say "ha' "nouN
be done with IT," comes to ones nina "heh feau
ing Mr. Gladstone's jeremiads on ureeee anu
Armenia A little breath or little INK suifces 10
describe two rulers as younS despo's, out mus
far the Grand Old Man has not seen III u po,n'
out to them or to England what they ought " w.
The fact Is that the German Emperor can ha,u!
act otherwise than he dots. Seii-presei 'ato'',
natures first law dictates that Germany shouid DIT
IN ho,or5s break IN the Franco Russian alliance,
because II Is becoming daily more evident that III
cas-. Of war Austria would go to pieces ana Ter
marv would have to face two sisan,ic powers
alma Deeb as Is the humiliation 10 uer"aiii"'
"das stole Webb" she has to kiss the ieet Oh the
desn,sed semi-Tartar and felGn the utmost zeal In
doing the work he Thinks lou uiV Ava ' ~
hands. no1ssi 49, ,.
PM ubv should Russia desire to have this dirty
work done? Once more, from sheer necessity. We're
Greece victorious. we're Armenia reformed IL "ouiu
90 far 10 Illustrate Russia's hopes OF an ADVANCE
70 the Mediterranean; in other words, to the posi-
ton of mistress OF the world. No government, even
the most onutocratic. can venture voluntarily "
incur defeat
Thus because Russia cannot AFFORD to allow the
title TO her Turkish inheritance to become ciouueo,
because as Lobanoff. with naughty franKness' tolo
us Russia cannot tolerate "a second bulgaria.
meaning a reformed Armenia, on her border ana
because France and Germany outoio each o'her
in seeking dishonor In order to serve Russia there
fore must Greece and Armenia continue to Writhe
beneath the lash OF the Moslem-theretore must
the Kurds be licensed to All their harems with
captive Armenian maidens.
The grotesous thing In the whole business Is that
France and Germany profess to 90 this dirty work
from motives OF honor. France says her honor
requires her to seek the reconquesi OF Alsace-
Lorraine, and hence she must constantly De on the
lookout for deeper depths OF dshonor that she may
plunge into them to please her strong RUSSIAN
ally" Germany says her honor requires her to
keep Asace- Lorraine. and hence she must point
out to Russia that from the very nature OF things
France can never descend to such utter depths Of
dishonor Germany. And so they both join the
blockade TO starve Crete. and German officers
leach OF whom has probably fought a dozen dues
for tho sake of his "honor'-savs the mark0 lead
the Turks against the Greeks. while Armenia-but
why think Of Armenia now?
Can it be that among the 100000 OF French
among the b2OOO.0o OF Germans there Ii
who the absurdity Of being penny
honorable and pound. or rather ton, dshonorable?
Can no that the urgent duty OF both
nations Is TO make up their quarrel at once and
present united front to the food Of dshonor that
is overwhelming them and all Christendom!
One German or rather MATHEMATICIAN has
discovered a means OF compromise that would
maniiesty enable the two nations TO come to terms
without much ruiiing the bloom OF their
vanity, let alone honor. "Pan-Aryan." as he sig
nacantly calls himself, suggests Qn The Review OF
Reviews" December 1894, and THE Arena" January
1880 that Germany evacuate the French-speaking
parts OF Alsace- Lorraine and invite France to oc-
cupy them. These districts comprise about
sixth OF the territory annexed in 1871. Three dis
tinguished authorities have approved the sugges-
ton. Andrew Carnegie wrote:
The compromise suggested Is the root OF the
whole matt,r. Such compromise would ask but
satisfactory TO France. 1t all seems easy, so
are So. % ''''''e' '' ' '' great '''DNpH'
Were 1t possible to name the other two authori-
ties they would be instantly recognized as being
in the front rank of diplomats. One wrote:
1t seems to me TO be really the most simple and
statesnanlike proposal yet made.
The other wrote:
Your remedy certainly goes to the very core of
the difficulty. and II seems TO me the most equi-
advanced.
In an article in the "Preussische Jahrbucher,"
Of Berlin. January 1886. "vir Paciious" advocates
the same measure, saying:
The retention OF Metz by Germany Is a standing
insult and threat to France tho object for which
Metz was taken has been accomplished the motive
many, even without Metz. Is practically safe
against French attack; Metz is a heavy burden
gain; it must be given back II Germany and France
are ever to become reconcilod.
"Pan-Aryan." who describes himself as "a native
German and "a native Prussan besides. who Is as
keenly alive TO the glory OF his native land as IL
he had never left her soil. and who thinks
OF the battle of Jena without tingo OF shame
makes passionate appeal TO his Fatherland To win
for herself the first place among the nations by
taking tho lead In a new era OF international conf
dence and friendship.
The most sluggish intellect must that by re-
storing this little slice OF French eaking
tory Germany would gain ncomparably more honor
than by keeping H. AT tho same time the surren-
der Of the enormous fortress Of Metz would be
emphatic an expression of esteem for France
that reparation In the world, even the res
toration Of all Alsace- Lorraine. could be compared
to 1t. France, II she possessed a trace of honor
would be bound to accept the pronered friendship
To say that such proposal is not practical is
simply to say that 1t is not practical TO be honor
able.
France. released from her subservience to Russia
Will at once give effect TO her ancient friendship for
Greece. and Germany will warmly support her, be.
cause she has every motive for checking tho In
crease Of Slavic power Western Europe will then
readily agree on the natural solution advocated by
VI. de- Pressense In The Nineteenth Century for
49, L.