The Washington herald., 1913-04-20
The Powder Barrel.

The Powder Barrel.
The reports of the German Chan
cellor's speech in the Reichstag state
that Herr Won Bethmann- Hollweg re-
ferred to Bismarck's military septcn-
nate, or bill, for Withdrawing army es-
Inmates from parliamentary control for
seven years as having been adopted in
1887. The cable is bit mixed up in
this respect The date of the act was
1874, and it was renewed in 1881 and
at corresponding intervals ever since.
Anti-German organs are fond of re-
ferring to the Reichstag as mere
budget-registering assembly, but the
Wilhelmstrasse is knee deep with the
dust of rejected measures. One of
these was the bill $500 asking the
Reichstag practically to surrender its
control over the military estimates until
such tirne as the government should
see fit to restore it. The Reichstag
very properly refused, but granted the
septennate in continuous renewal.
That the Kaisers chief diplomatic
lieutenant takes very serious view
of the situation is evidenced by his
remark. DR.. Won Bethmann-Hollweg is
a poor speaker, with a still poorer die
ton. But, when in earnest, his short
sentences come like sledge-hammer
blows. Listen to this, which the ca
bic has not reported:
The question is simply this: Can VIC
any longer indulge ourselves the lux
ury OF doing without tens of thousands
of trained soldiers whom we could
have. but of whom we do not at pres
ent avail ourselves? Nobody knows
whether or when war will be forced
upon us. but as far as human calcula-
lions can tell no European war will
break out in which we shall not be in
volved, Then we shall have to fight
for our existence Who is ready to
shoulder the responsibility of allowing
such state of affairs TO arise that
in life and death struggle we should
not be so strong as we could be?
i Will not say that at any moment
war has stood directly before our gates,
but it has repeatedly required the whole
sense of responsibility of the cabinets
most nearly interested to remove from
existing conflicts of opinion and di-
vergencies of interests that acuteness
which might have led to violent out
break Should a European con-
fiagration ever break out in which Slavs
and Germans are opposed. it will mean
disadvantage for the Germans that
the place in the system of the balance
of power which has hitherto been oc-
cupied by Turkey in Europe is now
partly occupied by the southern SIav
states. This displacement in the mil
itary political situation on the Cont
nent has been preparing for some time,
and now that it has taken place in an
Unexpectedly large measure. we should
not be acting conscientiously if we re-
fused to draw conclusions from II.
Germany has to be on her guard as
no other country has. We must be
ready to fight for our lives on two
sides. An amazing economic develop
ment is taking place in Russia. hand in
hand with the reorganization OF an
army such as Russia has never had
before France overlook lis long ago
in making use of the capacity of her
population for defense For years she
has been enrolling her last man. Now
France is going back to three years
service.
Nothing could be more obvious than
the chancellor reference to possible
Armageddon between Slavs and Ger
mans. The reinforcement of Slavdom
by the Balkan alliance betrays the
nervous tension in Germany, not so
much owing to the Balkan successes,
as by the short-sighted policy in
Vienna, with which Austria has made
them her enemies.
But while the kaiser's official mouth
piece correctly portrayed future clash
between German and Slav, when dis
cussing the demanded increase in mil
itary expenditures and REINFORCED
army, yet we opine that he has some
what overdrawn the present intentions
of France One reference of his, how
ever, we fully subscribe to- Between
whatever nations of Europe the torch
of the war god will be lighted-for
Germany there will be no escape Hence
his trumpet note of warning, i'll view
of the rapid and steady army in
creaseS by other nations: Isl Wis
pacem, para bellum!"