Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-08-20
Meaning Of War
For Monarchies
Spirit Of Democracy Abroad in
World May Curtail Power Of
Autocratic Houses.
'(From the Philadelphia Public

~ VAN l L NOAAS " r
LEDGER /.
Speculation as to the effect of the
war upon the European m%onarchies
is most fascinating, especially to
Americans, who have an ingrained
suspicion of every form of govern
ment save their own, a war of dyn-
asties, entered upon for territorial
greed or because of anlmosities Of
the reigning houses. The Hapsburgs
are fighting to extend their bound
aries toward the Aegean; the Hohen-
zollerns have dreams Of world domin-
ion and the greater glory of their
name; the Romanoffs are seeking to
maintain their hold upon the loyalty
of the Slavs outside Of their empire
and to bind them more closely to St.
Petersburg, so that the ultimate ex-
tension of the Russian frontier to the
Mediterranean may be facilitated.
There is no doubt that these are
among the potential reasons for the
conflict. But they are not all the
reasons. The German army is not
merely the Kaiser's fighting machine.
1t is Germany In arms. When 5,OO0,-
900 men respond to the call to the
colors or stand ready to respond, to
carry out the plans Of the Kaiser, it
is pretty safe to a sumo that the
cause Of the Kaiser is the cause OF
Germany, and that national as well
as dynastic reasons lie behind the
great enterprise. The same, eason
ing will apply to Russia and to Aus.
tria, only to a lessor degree.
Germany and Austria are in ALI
ance becaure Of their common inter
ests. Theyiaboth SCI; an outlet to
the Aegean and, to the markets of the
East. The dynastic policies are sup
ported by the commercial interests Of
the two empires, and in a large sense
the Ho%henzollerns and the Hapsburgs
are the spokesman for and leaders of
their people and are leading in the
direction in which they would go.
There. is no dynasty in France to
be olgrified, but the French people
have been arming for forty-four years
for this great conflict. The French
man who tookthair %hoardings from
their stockings to help their govern
ment pay the indemnity to Germany
In 1870 have been waiting for the OPP
p~ortunity to get it back again. and
their children have inherited the
same relentless purpose. They have
watched and waited nearly half a
century for this n great, over.
wh timing, all-absorbing Opportunity
of "revenche!"
Despite the fact that the ambitions
of the people and the dynastics are
in accord, the effect of the war upon
monarchical institutions will be NOM
entous. Tho spirit Of democracy is
abroad. 1t hos practically abolished
tho British Fouse Of Lords. 1t has
forced the establishment of a Parlia-
ment in Rrussia. It is SO active and
alert in Ger~c-~ that the social
democratic rn-'r.r the largest and
most pcwcrfn! n~'it;cal organization
in the em~i~c, y, rrnnce it cverturn-
ed the mc-,~ A~oa~ly half a cen
fury ago arA IS n>w SO firmly es,,b-
lished thrt CIV Z : Widest dreamers
ever ime~i~,, - ,cnuhlican %ins.itu-
TORS can be disn'~coa. IT is regnant
in ro-t-ro, o~' $500, 81 in Spain.
A na+icn in, ANY," IS GERMANY now
is, will not 'cnr h rN"tnnt to remain
q nation ,w::tt..n' : -,'rist"n rcrnon-
siblo tn IT'S rr.iir ~cpt Tho demo-
cr~atizotion 81 cor~ar institutions s.
ine-'table nstc- =, -~o~ whatever the
result. The pcor'c. even in Russia,
are re longer .dr'ver serfs. They
think. they reason. "rd a demons ra-
tirn of the power cf five million men
on the battlefield will rot be lost On
the patriots who wifh also to demon
strate the power of same number
of millions IN deciding at first hand