Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-09-01

In the appalling international war
now rending all Europe, in which
half the earth and it's people is inVolv-
ed, the mind Of the world inevitably
goes back to the sanguinary Franco
Prussian war of 1S70-1S71. A great
many people now alive remember WV
!, idly that short but momentous. strug-
gle, that changed the map Of Europe.
but younger generations art not so
we'll acquainted with the history OF
the conflict.
The war now being fought across
the Atlantic contains many deadly
parallels" of the war of 1870 and at
fords ample proof that history re-
peats ITSELF
In both instances, apprehension of
the growing power of Germany was
the real cause of the conflagration,
though in each case, a remote occur
renee was seized upon as the ostensi-
Bile reason for fighting. In 1870 France
declared war on Germany directly be-
cause Of Prussia's attempt to place
/ Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern Or
the throne CT SPAIN in 1914 the pow
ers of the Triple Entente declared
war on Germany because the kaiser
joined issues with Ausrtia-Hungary.
when that power declared war on
Servia; but in both instances, fear
of Germany's ascendency and appre-
hension for the balance of power" of
Europe was the real cause of conflict
In this war, much of the fighting
that hes occurred has been on the
same soil that was drenched in
French and Prussian blood forty-four
years ago, and it is not improbable
that the decisive struggle will take
place not many miles from Sedan.
''the Waterloo of the Second En-
pire," where the fate of France was
practically settled in September.
1870.
The FrancoPrussan war began
July II, 1870, and ended officially with
the signing of a treaty of peace May
10, 1871, though fighting ceased sever
al months before that date. Ger
many was victorious and France lost
big cash indemnity and the prov
inces OF Alsace and Lorraine, where
the present war has taken place.
Perhaps the greatest result of the
brief war was the soldifying of the
various kingdoms and states of Ger
many into the present German en-
pire, with the king of Prussia as the
emperor brought about by Count Bis
marck, after Prince, the "1ron Chan
, cellor.''
Though the former war originated
in the jealousy of the French emner-
Or Napoleon III, of the growing i'm
portance of Prussia, through the suc.
cessful issue of the war with Den
mark in 1864 sand with Autsria in
1856, matters came to head June "a
1870, with the abdication of Queen
Isabella II of Spain Anxious tn
! strengthen his tottering throne bv a
successful war against the hereditary
foe OF the French nation, Napoleon
+ III seized upon the complications fur.
nished by the political situation in
Spain, as a pretext for war against
! Prussia.
When Queen Isabella deposed IN
1858, formally abdicated in 1870 the
foreign governments were officiall,
notified on July 4, and on the same
day, it was announced in Berlin thai
Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sip.
maringen, a connection of King vii,
liam l OF Prussia, had consented r.
become a candidate for the Spanist
throne. His consent was said to have
the approval of the king and in Paris
it was asserted that the Pruss;ar
monarch urged his relative to taxi,
the throne as a direct slap at France
The news caused intense excite
ment in the French capital and i'm
mediately war talk filled the air. fo,
even then the hot-heads of Franc,
were always seeking excuse for at
lacking their ancient enemy Prussia
1t was momentous day in Paris
Threatening speeches against Prus
sla were made in the chamber q
deputies, and Immediately the Frenc1
foreign minister, the DUO de Gram
mont, caused strong representation
to be made at Berlin OF the disnle.
sure with which France viewed tn
aspirationsfo of Prince Leopold to III
throne of Spain. Finally,4on July I:
after much negotiation and the In
tervention of Great Britain. primo
Leopold, with the consent of his soy
ereign, withdrew his candidature
But this did not deter the ambition
but misguided Third Napoleou. o