The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-26

, the Germans think war was approach
ing. The air was full OF military
spirit.
Three Direct Causes of War.
In tracing the history OF the Bal
kan struggles DIR. Hart goes as far back
a. 1876, when some English newspaper
correspondents discovered that the
Turks were torturing the Bulga-ians,
ard precipitated an international
lily adjusted by Bismark and Dis
yaeli Since that time the Balkans
have been hotbed of imbroglios out
CT which have emerged the various
countries OF Bulgaria. Roumania. Ser
via. Montenegro and Albania.
The result OF the Balkan War. DR..
Hart Gays, gave the Balkan powers "a
new national and military standing
which they were using to create TO-
ment among their blood brothers the
Bosnians and Herzgr vinians, who
have for many years oeeD chatting un-
der the yoke of Austrian rule.
Nevert heless. DR.. Hart Is certain
Scrvia mad not the slightest hand in
the killing of Franz Ferdinand. and he
further cites the extra ordinary fact
Franz Ferdinand, heir to the dual
monarchy. and very soon expected 20
become Emperor. was the only Aus
tcian statesman known to the outside
world who favored meeting the griev-
anceS of the Sav element by recon-
! Dining the empire into three race
units--German. Magyar and Slav-~in
stead of two existing. He was married
to Siav. He naturally wanted to
save his Empire. and perhaps had hit
upon the only peaceful method by
which it could have been saved.
Responsibility for Uitimatum.
Professor Harris conclusions az to
the responsibility for the untimatum
from Austria to Servia. which result
ed In the witr. are summed up as fol-
lows:
Fifty years hence. when the history
of this war can be written from the In
innate. official and private correspon-
dence of this time. 1t will probably ap-
pear that the hungarian statesmen
made up their minds that the propa-
ganda of Servia was so undermining
the Slav in Trans-L eithia that a revo-
/ luton was likely, and appealed to
their German friends to come to the
rescue. for there liz no suggestion that
Gaiicia. Bohemia and the Slav Alpine
provinces were infected, and they are
parts of Cis-Leithia. The Austrian
Government probably communicated
with Germany and received general
assurances of support: and then is
sued the ultimatum In a form far more
Caustic than the German Imperial
! Government had expected. BY this
time Hungary Austria and Germany
were all committed TO administering a
very strong dose OF medicine TO the
Servians What followed has been
thoroughly thrashed out In the cori
respondence between the rulers and
the ministers, all of which DIR. Hart
! exhaustively discusses In his book.
Perhaps the most vital parts of DR..
Harts informing book for American
readers are the later chapters in which
ne discusses the effect of the war up
on the United States and the proha-
BILE outcome of 1t all. One thing
which concerns the distin guished his
| torian most is our army and navy.
| Here are some OF the startling things
which he says must be learned from
| the present conflict.
Military Unfitnees of America.
The war cannot fail to change the
point of view both of military men
and of Statesmen with regard to the
nature and size Of our military force.
In comparison with the figures given
/ In earlier chapters for foreign armies.
cur regular force is a bagatelIe The
Continental United States has a popu-
lation OF over l00.0o0,000. which is
about that of Germany and Italy to-
gether, but those two powers keep up
peace forces which together amount
to about 100000 men. while the
I United States army has a strength of
10000 rank and file besides 5000 Of
ficers.
Our army is less than one-tenth Of
one per cent OF the population; re
had fewer soldiers ready for service
in July. 1914. than Belgium with ita
a.o00,0 900 people. The United States
is prodigal in the. amount 1t spends
for this force. The military appro-
priations for the last complete year
being sl100e0.00o. which Is as much
as was spent by Austria Hungary in
The same year.
Swiss System Recommended.
This country is not like ly to adopt
the idea that II can afford to give or
need give two or thres years out of
the most productive part of a young
mans life to learn the art OF war: but
there Is much to be said for the SWISS
system OF universal service for brief
periods, counting together to about
six months. and more for the officers
The Swiss are very like the Ameri-
cans in their individuality and democ-
racy. and neither Of those qualities has
been cut down by such service In
spite of the undesirable side OF bar
rack life, which Is a severe test on a
young mans morals. such a universal
service would do much to set up
American youth to push back their
shoulders. initiate their lungs, train
their leg muscles. teach them to do
what they are told. make them aware
that every manchild In the world is
born to perform service at the behnst
OF older people. 1t will take the boys
out of the slums and the schools and
the farms and the shops for a few
months. show them how large their
own country is, give them the feeling
that they are responsible for its well
fare and defense. II the European
war directs the United States toward
that course. it will not have been al
together evil.