The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-16

an ''lmpulsion" which was driving France and Russia Into war despite their interests despite the Czar, despite himself Cardinal Fesch implored him not to fly in the face of men, the ele- ments, religion, earth and heaven or be would sink under the combined weight of their enmity One of his ministers shook his head and sighed, "The Emperor is mad. completely mad, and will de- stfoy us all. This will all end In a terrible crash!'
 Still the reasons for the war were not by any means wholly occult. Napoleon had been trying for nearly d decade to conquer the power of England on the sea by closing against her trade the harbors of Europe If one remained open none would remain closed. If Rus sa were permitted to break the blockade. no other nation could be asked to main tain 1t and 1t would be only a matter of months until tho Czar would be able to form new coalition against France.
 The invasion of Russia unquestionably was a disastrous mistake, a poor choice of battlcfields. But Napoleon hoped against hope that as he moved toward the Russian border Alexander would sue for peace as he sued for it at Tilst five years before. He Was mistaken in his man and therein lay the fatal blunder.
 Moreover. two nyeterate enemies of Napoleon had entered the counsels of the
  ing his arms against the French Elm peipr They were stein, the Prussian cab met minister. whom She Emperor had or dered the King of Prussia to dismiss, and that Corsican rival of Napoleon youth. Pozzo di Borgo.
 Napoleon and Pozzo left Ajaccio to- gether the one to conquer Europe. the other to wander from capital to capital in his bitter unceasing efforts to thwart him. For 70 years the two islanders car- ried on their relentless vendetta, with continent for their background. ozzo was at the elbow of the British ministry when the peace of Amiens was broken and the 12-year duel between England and France began. Next he went to Russia. and was with the Czar in the years he was warning on Napoleon. But Napoleon de- mancded his dismissal at Tilsit, and he passed over to Austria, where he fomented the war of 1909. He fled from Vienna with the Austrian court as the Emperor bore down upon that capital, and after his eDemys victory at Wagram he escaped him only by tramping over the mountains to Turkey, whence he found his way to England once more, and finally to St. Petersburg. Thenceforth he dogged the downward steps of his fellow Corscan to Waterloo and even to St. Helena.
 Two Worlds at Arms
 A great war somewhere was inevitable to establish or overthrow the continental system which rested on bayonets and which had embroiled the world. For lsl2 proved to be red year in history. The flames of the French revolution, which were kinded at the Bastille in 17SS, had been spreading for 23 years. At last they had leaped the wide Atlantic and two worlds were wrapped in an almost unt~ versal confagration.
 The Americans and the British took up arms, and the Indian with his toma- hawk joined in the strife. Already Ill., dago had rung from his village church belfry the tocsin of revolution that was heard from the Oregon to Terra del F>uego and Spanish America, taking advantage of the war in Spain. began it's l0-yeer struggle for independence. The Spaniards and their English allies under Wellington after four years of battling on the pne- insula, continued to baffle the best mar shals of the empire. and an imperial army of 30OO00 men were engaged In futile eT- fort to subdue one extremity of Europe while Napoleon was leading 60o.o00 more to conquer the opposite extremity of the continent.
 Next Sunday-Mr. Morgan's journey from the Niemen to Moscow in the path of Napoleon and his 6O0,000 The opening chapter is one of the greatest tragsdtes in history. { (Copxright. lsis-lslA by James xergaa.a