The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-10-01
BY w. q. FOULkE.

Since the outbreak of the war our
connection with England and France
has been SO much closer than with
Germany and the information received
from English and French sources SO
much more abundant than that receiv-
ed from German sources that the
American public has been in danger OF
forming too strong bias against Ger
many and an exaggerated estimate
both of the virtues and of the pros
poets of the allies.
Now l hold no brief for Germany;
on the contrary, her unprovoked in
vasion of Belgium, the destruction of
Louvain and of the magnificent ca
thedral at Reims fill me with horror
and Indignation. Yet l believe that
many of us, in common with the Eng
fish and French, are inclined to throw
upon her the entire blame for this war
and for the conditions which caused it
including many things for which she
Is not justly responsible. For instance,
nearly everybody is denouncing what
they call "Prussian militarism," which
is held accountable for the war spirit
in Europe and for everything which
has led to the present struggle. But
in estimating her culpability in this
TcSpeCJ We llIoI SOuoIuCl tAO
causes which led to Prussian militar-
ism.
Lies Between Enemies.
r., In the first place, what is the geo.
graphical situation Of Germany? She
Hes In central Europe between two i'm
@placable enemies. Russia on the east
and France on the west with long
frontier on each side. an open country
exposed to immediate attack in case
OF war. The cause of this enmity is
largely racial. 1t is the prejudice of
the Latin and Slav against the TeutOn
and of the Teuton against the Latin
and Slav. Probably one side is no
more responsible for this than the
other. 1t is inherent in our defective
human nature. In addition to this,
France wants to recover Alsace and
Lorraine, taken from her by Germany
in 1870. Now Germany did not begin
the war Of 1870, that war was the fault
Of France and ii France was conquer
ed and had to give up these provinces
the responsibility for the bitter feel.
ing occasioned by this act cannot be
wholly laid at the door of Germany.
Germany with an enemy on each
side needed an ally and her neighbor
Austria, whose population was in part
OF German stock, was willing to joir
her for mutual support. and Italy, al
though country inhabited by people
Of Latin origin considered her rights
SO seriously threatened by France thai
she too became rather Immature
member of the Triple Alliance, eacf
member Of which undertook to guar
antee the other from the simultaneou!
attack OF any two European powers.
France Needs Ally.
But against such an alliance Franc,
needed an ally, too, particularly IL
view Of the fact that the population o
Germany was increasing each year b,
natural multiplication much more raj
idly than her own. Her interests an,
those Of Russia were identical an
they accordingly formed an allianc
for mutual support. and England
whose industries, whose commercial
supremacy and whose navy began t
be threatened by the industries, tn
merchant marine and the navy of Gel
many, cultivated the friendliest rels
lions with France and Russia, althoug
her interests in the Far East wer
quite opposed to those OF the empir
Of the Gear. 1t is hard to see that Il
these alliances or understandings
that one side was much more to blam
than the other and the fact that Gel
many was armed to the teeth just a
France and Russia were also arme
followed necessarily from these gee
graphical and political conditions
England would have been compelle
to do the same thing il she had bee
in tho center Of Europe exposed t
hostile attacks on both sides. Eve