The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-22
AN oFr-REPEATED PREDICTION.

AN 0F-T-REPEATED PREDICTION.
The Franco-Prussian war had just ended
in the overwhelming defeat of Napoleon
III and his regime, but not of the French
people. thirty-two years ago. In the March
issue of a periodical which made some pre-
tensions of insight into worldwide politics,
the following appears:
Every hour Prussia, under King William.
has been planning and executing encroach-
ments upon her neighbors She has never
touched her sword under William save 10
win; and should the royal warrior, glutted
with victory and weary of fire, blood and
spoil, now seek to end his days in peace
TO whom Williams personality is nothing
Ito whom King or Kaiser is but the lever,
and the throne the fulcrum for uplifting
Germany, Bismarck and Moltke are still
the twin thunderbolts of Prussian war.
Whom will Prussia conquer next?
Who is to be catalogued after Denmark,
South Germany, Austria and France? What
game is on Bsmarck's cards, and what
tallying campaign is chalked on the black
board of Moltke? On one flank OF Ger
many lies Russia; on the other Belgium
and Holland, encroachment upon which
means challenge to England, since that
power has officially undertaken to cham
pion Belgium and preserve her auto
nomy. Which of these two leading candi-
dates for Motke's sword Is first to be spit
ted thereon becomes an interesting study.
The foregoing was written thirty-two
years ago; neither Russia nor Belgium has
been spitted. Williams grandson rules
greater Germany, in his stead. and Bis
marck and Moltke are years in their
graves. The study as to which Of those
powers Germany would attack must have
ceased to be interesting long ago. 1t does
not now seem probable that the trinity
of great men who fused important prov
inces into the German empire ever had a
design upon the territory referred to. If
they had they lived long enough to have
carried it to a trial. The impression which
one gets from the quotation is that Ger
many was the aggressor in the war which
ended in the defeat of Napoleon. 1t is un-
case. Napoleon, self-deceived by his sub
ordinates, imagined that he had an army
and equipment sufficient to humble Ger
many. He marched forth to do the
humbling, but he was the worst humbled
man that ever went to war. He learned
that his system had given him show SOL
diers without generals, and that inefficiency
and corruption had eaten the life out of
his army organization. The time OF
cumberer of the ground had come. and he
walked forth to his execution. Germany
was ready, and the result is known. The
smaller and poorer nation not only won,
but vanquished the larger and richer in
the shortest Of wars. 1t made the German
empire.
The foregoing prediction is quoted be-
cause those who have written for the Amer
lean press of European affairs have had
the habit of furnishing a war cloud with
a grave prediction. Sometimes there has
not even been a cloud, and for thirtytwo
years there has not been war between
the leading powers Of Europe. Russia and
Turkey had a war which the other pow
ers stopped, and Turkey was permitted
to punish insignificant Greece. The greater
powers have done no more than talk about
war. They make triple and other alliances.
but these are to compel peace rather than
incite war. Just now there is some talk
of war between Great Britain and Ger
many. Frightened or excited correspond
ents are telling about 1t, and the news
papers of the two nations are calling each
other names. They are no nearer war than
when the magazine writer made his pre-
diction and got his pay for it.
Many Americans are in doubt as to the
intentions of William II respecting the
United States. His movements have reused
suspicious, and his emphatic professions
of hearty good will and of hts regard for
the Monroe doctrine have not fully al
layed them. Williams building of navy
is viewed with some anxiety, but so long
as our navy is growing the faster we
should not allow ourselves to be the VIC
TINS of wild alarms. Doubtless William
would annex any little parcels of land ly-
ing around loose, but when war costs so
much he is not going to attack his neigh
| bors and take the odds he must.