Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-13


Go1xbaz1I
which had in part succeeded to the
place of the Holy Roman empire, was
another loose collection of states joined
together by Napoleon. Out of this came
the German confedera ton of 1915. The
various rulers sent to the diet at
Frankfort delegates who did what they
were told to do. They did not legis-
late. but took action only on diplo-
matte matters The Representa- ton was
OFT of all proportion to the size and
importance of the countries concerned.
federal act was adopted. but it
still left the confederation loose and
clumsy Each member had its own rep
resentation abroad. A citizen of Sax
ony was a Saxon not German citizen.
Any state could make a treaty with a
foreign nation so long as that treaty
did not endanSer the confederation it
self. All ST. ties must remain at peace
with each other and they must support
the confederation in foreign war.
Three foreign rulers were represented
in 1t. 1t was about as poor system
as could be devised.
No reople outside of France had en-
braced liberal ideas with more enthus-
iasm tha n the Germe ms. The new move
ment gained tremendous impetus there
All classes save the mobiles and court
1t. Some had even looked upon Napol-
con as liberator.
When, therefore. the old rule of alb
solutism was restored resentment fared
up in many quarters. The Germans
had been strong for unity. What Wen
ma had given them made them any
thing but united. There was no Ger
man citizenship for which they had
longed. Each state had laws widely
different from the others. There was
no central government. There was
not even German king. The only
thing they had in common was their
language.
They were denied popular represen-
tation. The diet did not represent the
people. There would have been a par
liz ment in each of the thirty-eight
states. but Metternich had defeated
that at Vienna. Constitutions came to
few states before 1921. but in the
others the people remained unrepre-
scented for many years. To covetous
Austria this was an advantage.
But the liberals did not lose heart
AT Warburg in 1917 there met a pa
tr:otic society devoted to the unity of
Germany at which the delegates from
al! over the confederation solemnly ded-
icated themselves to that object Aft
cr fmpassioned speeches they cast into
bonfire a certain tract, the illiberality
of which had pleased Frederick Will
fam of Prussia. From that night dates
the beginning of German unity. for,
later was. it still persisted until it be-
came royal policy and resulted in the
present German empire.
One reason for the movement was
that Metternich. through an under
standing vi 18th the King of Prussia. was
manipula ting the affairs of the confed-
Grafton. This was by a construction of
an act of the Vienna congress that any
constitution adopted by state of the
confeG Grafton should be that of the old
pre-Napoleonic German style.
The same repression of university In
a government inspector being present
to censor lectures and text books
School societies were forbidden and a
black list of offending professors and
students was set up. Spies after the
Austrian pattern were at work every
where.
All reforms then went by the board
Constitutions which had been promised
were. refused and the lid was clamped
down upon liberalism tighter then ever
Prosecutions were begun and followed
with great vigor. Teachers writers
and students were thrown into Jail or
forced to leave the country. Liberalism
where it existed at all. lived only In
hidden places.
Nor did constitutionalism fare better
in other lands. The re-establishmenI of
absolutism in countries like Italy and
Spein was attended by the most violent
reaction. Sarrow-minded kings and
princes, angered by their exile return
ed to punish all who held liberal views
springing from the French revolution
These two countries suffered deplor-
ably. In Spain the most atrocious per-
secutions were visited on all who pro-
fessed the semblance of republicanjsm.
although the revolution crushed twice
by Ferdinand succeeded in 1920 and
forced him to adopt the constitution he
had spat upon.
The result in Italy was. If anything.
worse. The petty rulers rivaled each
other in cruelty. although the King of
Naples probably exceeded them ali.
The effect of this was, of course, only
to redouble the energies of the patriots
and to spread broadcast the fame Of
the martyrs. OF these there were many.
Those who did not perish on the scat
fold languished for years in dungeons
Taxes could scarcely be borne Edn-
cation was at its lowest. Superstition
and illiberality went hand in hand. and
paid spies betrayed some OF the most
glorious opponents OF liberty The sue
cess in Spain encouraged the T.. Van
liberals. however. and the Naples nd
iery revolted as had the Spanish. and
the king took the oath of constitu-
ton modelled on that of Spain
These sparks of revolution communi-
Gated to other Italian states. Alarmed,
the reactionary powers of the north
called the Neapolitan king to them and
read the riot act. He returned home
and tore up the constitution. restoring
the rule of military oppression. A SIM
liar revolution was put down in Pied
mont
Louis XVIII at the bidding of the
reactionaries, sent an army into Spain,
chased out the cortes, and told the king
to resume his absolu tism, which he did
His government then recommended its
persecution, killing and imprisoning all
constitutionalists 1t could find.
1t now seemed as IL all chance for re-