East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-07-06
FRANCE is PREPARED.

After the war of 1901. France
recuperated from her disastrous de-
feat so rapidly and paid off the enor-
nous indemnity exacted by Germany
so quickly that Bismarck was piqued
| and he deliberately planned to force
France into another war for the pur-
pose of further breaking the power
and spirit of the French nation. His
| atrocious scheme was blocked, how 9.
ever by its premature exposure in the
London Times, which was prompted
| by the diplomatic enemies of the
German chancellor says the Oakland
| Tribune.
Bismarck has passed away, bat his
| idea that Germany should thwart and
humble France at every opportunity
seems still to dominate German poll
cy. Kaiser Wilhelm, an ahle prince
and in many respects good ruler
seems to be more and more impressed
with tn" Btsmarckian idea the older
| ne grows. France appears to be per-
petually in his mind. 1t i'ains him to
see the republic prosper, and he re-
CARDS each manifestation of i'S
| growth and power as an additional
menace to Germany. The Russo
| French alliance kept him Oh n ncrv-
Gus strain for several years The re-
cent entente between Great Britain
and France has given him worse
spasms He is trying to BATTLE French
| designs in Northern Africa and is do
ing it in a way that shows a DISPOSE
ton to be deliberately ugly.
He wants it to appear to the whole
world that Germany has made France
take back seat. He wants it under
stood abroad that he is cock of the
walk.
Well, he may get rudely surprised.
His aggressive tactics may finally
force France to fight. Should war
come. the contest will not be a repe-
tition of the ill-starred Sedan cam
paign. The German army is slightly
superior to Frances in point of num-
bers. but the war between Russia and
Japan has again proved that mere
numbers do not always win. The
French have always been warlike
nation. and their flags have more
than once fluttered in Berlin.
It vas no idle vaunt when Napo-
Icons hussar boasted that he had
fought the men and kissed the women
in II kingdoms" From time imme-
mortal the French have been a fight
ing race and have seen the inside of
every capital in Europe, London.
Stockholm and st. Petersburg except
ed. Again and again they have sur
prised the world by exhibitions of pa
triotic vaIor.
In the days of the first revolution
the raw peasantry defeated and drove
from their land the disciplined armies
of Prussia ard Austria. After the
successive defeats inflicted by Marl-
borough, they rallied and Chagrincd
Prince Eugene and the conqueror OF
Blenheim. They were driven from
the field, it is true. but they retired
in good order fighting with resolute
front a foe flushed with repeated vio-
tories and greatly outnumber ng them
History may repeat itself. Jena and
Auerstadt were as fateful t. Prussia
as Gravelotte and Sedan were tc
France. William may force {. wal
on France only to find the French
| fully prepared and uerved by high re-
solve to fight to the last gasp. In the
sublimatcd patriotism Of her sons
Japan has revived the heroic age AND
has given fresh inspiration to weaker
! people to stand up fer their rights
against unjust aggression. The Ger
man emperor had better have care
how he struts about with chip OF
his shoulder He may suffer the hu'
initiation that was inflicted on his
, great grandfather, Frederick William