The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-06-30
Trivial Causes Of War.

Trivial Causes of War.
Nothing is more amazing in the
history OF nations than the abSurdly
trivial causes which have been suffic-
iant to let loose the dogs of war and
deluge continents in blood.
Many an American. says the Chi
cago Tribune, has started an incipient
riot in his household by appearing un-
announced with clean shave after
having worn hirsute adornment for
a number Of years, but 1t is almost in
credible at first glance that two great
nations should have plunged into an
intermittent warfare lasting 800 years
from the same cause. Yet nothing
more than this was the primary source
of three centuries of war between
England aud France.
In order TO please the archbishop of
Reuen Louis VII of France consented
to remove his beard in common with
his subjects and present a clean shaver
face to the world. 1t was disastrous
shave, for 1T led TO SO much friction
with his wife, who resented her hus-
bands changed appearance, that at
last the King divorced her, to become
a few months later the wife of Henry
II of England. From that marriage
of Henry to the angry. discarded wife
of Louis centuries of bloodshed may
be said to have followed.
Enclosed In an iron case in the tow.
er of Modena cathedral may be seen
today bucket, which 900 years ago
was the innocent cause of terrible
war. Some soldiers of Modena, In a
mood of mischief, had stolen the buc-
ket from public well in Bologna,
and refused to give 1t up on demand
Fights between the soldiers of the
rival and jealous states ensued, and
from this spark was klndled a fire of
War which devastated large part of
Europe and led to the lifelong impris-
oament II the King of Sardinia, son
Of the German Emperor.
A war in China two centuries and
a half ago. which involved the loss OF
half million lives, sprang directly
from broken teapot. The teapot
was the treasured possession of a dig
nitary high In the favor and councils
Of the Emperor, and when he was
travelling through the lawleSS provin.
ces in the northwest of China some of
retinue, who had fallen behind the
main body, were intercepted by a
band Of robbers, and among the spoil
the teapot was found and contemptu
0usly flung on the ground and broken.
The matter was reported to the EN-
peror by the indignant mandarin, a
puuiCihC lOiOC wa oCuO OuOs ouu q iOuS
and terrible war ensued.
Lord talmerton used to say that
only three men had ever known the
nature Of the trOubler of SchleSwig-
Holstein, which led to two great wars,
two Of them had died before the war
broke out, and he. the third of the
trinity, had completely forgotten
what it was all about. 1t is now well
known, however, that slight manip
ulation by Bismarck of telegram set
France and Germany flying at each
others Threats a generation ago, with
results too appalling to contemplate.
The war of the Spanish succession,
in which the great Duke of Marlbor-
ough played SO conspicuous and bril-
liant a part, was, it is said, the out
come OF split glass Of. water at a
TuilerieS ball. Oneof the court ladies
had expressed a wish for glass OF
water In the hearing OF the British
and Spanish Ambassadors, who for
With fastened to fetch it.
On returning, each holding tumb-
Ter, they found that the fair bird had
flown and was dancing with a French
statesman, and to drown their discom-
future the English diplomat caromed
against the Spaniard and upset the
glass of water be was carrying-an
accident which led to an apology and
an exchange of courtesies. A trivial,
ridiculous incident enough but it ser.
we'd to infame jealousies and cement
sympathies and thus to turn the bal
ance in the direction OF war.
The Seven Years. War was largely
due, according to his own confession,
to the vanity of Frederick the Great
in wanting to see his name figure laF.
gely in the gazettes.
]. W, Rinard.
ela fha roadaro IF fh;a v.ror q, go.