New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-16
Not Much Bismarckian "bloo q
and Iron" in the Bethmann'
HolIweg Statement.


PRINCE Bismarck died he left no successors N'H
,nv one imagine Bismarck putting forth so punS
and fa,pthearted an apology for German poncS
~ that given to the world by Bethmann-Hoii"es'
v,sr,aro,- was statesman Of extraordinary
courage and foresight. His methods were ruth
less What he could not bend he broke But nc
never lodged responsibility for what he olu' nc
had no illusions about his own purposes IN ais
cuss,pg them he was often frank to the point oil
cynicism.
ia knew that Prussia's greatness was oulit
upon wars OF conquest. he believed IN mintary
force as the real basis Of empire. Therefore ne
preached the doctrine Of "blood and iron" ana
stood ready to use the sword whenever necessary
10 make larger and securer that place in the sun
which Prussia. and later Germany, coveted That
a state founded on miitarism and inspired by
militarism should not be free to use its force at
nv fime without apologies to the rest Of the world
was something beyond the dreams Of his philos-
ophy.
Can any one imagine Bismarck trying 70 palm
off on the world as an explanation Of the cause OF
the present European war that ut is a life and
,eatb struggle between the Germans and the Mus
eovite races Of Russia? That academic futility
would not have interested him He had no pre1u-
dices against the Slavs, and was Just as willing 70
lie Germany up in an alliance with Russia, pure
slsv state. as with Austria-Hungary, a partly
Si,v state. He would have known much better
than to make the claim that Germany was going
10 the rescue Of German culture when 1t decided
10 back up the demands made upon Servia by
Austria Hungary whose population is, roughly
speaking. onehfth German two-ffths slav AMI
four-6fths Including the Savs non-German.
That sort Of thing ought TO be left to the embat-
lied university professors who are trying to prove
that in making war on France, Belgium and Great
Britain Germany is championing the civilization
of Western Europe against the Cossacks
The detail in Germany's policy which has most
outraged the opinion of the world is the unwdr-
ranted attack made on the neutralized state Of
Belgium. Belgium was not in an alliance with
the Muscovites It's permanent neutrality and in
dependence were guaranteed by treaty signed
bv the leading European powers, Prussia itself
being signatory. That treaty obligation Ger
many violated simply because it was convenient
70 use Belgian territory as basis for military op'
.ra,,ons. That was reducing war to the Level oil
national brigandage.
Chancellor Bethmann- Hollweg thinks that it is
,oss,b,e 70 palIiate this inexcusabe attack on
friendly nation whose security was specincaiy
guaranteed by Prussia by saying that, Great BTU
ain having refused TO permit the German meet u
attack the northern coast of France there was no
other Vvav 10 get at France except through Bel
u,u,u Rut what about the Franco German border
from Longwy to Belfort? The German armies
cou,d have operated there without forcing Bel
siuu into the arms of France and possibly with
ont compeling Great Britain to go actively to the
.,Drort Of her associates in the Triple Entente
The Chancellor intimates that only an unfortu-
nate complication drove Germany to the neces'
sitv Of seizing Belgium But the plans OF the
Berlin War Office undoubtedly provided long in
advance for an invasion Of Belgium, If France
we're 10 be attacked, and made that provision with
the full knowledge that sucn course Woulu uIa"
a declaration Of war from Great Britain. Why
say. then: 1T is with heavy heart that we see
England ranged among opponents, notwith-
standing the blood relationship and close relation
ship iu spiritual and cultural work between the
two countries?
France is the real enemy at whom Germany IS
striking, and with the hope Of winning an early
and decisive victory on French soil she was will
ing TO take all the risks involved in war with
Great Britain as well as with Belgium
We do not think that Bismarck would have
blinked the. fundamen'"' facts. He was never
afraid TO face the truth pleasant or unpleasant.
II be had said anything in defence of Germanys
policy he would have been entirely frank. He
would have said that in the last two or three years
Germany had begun 20 find her status as dom
inant factor in European concerns challenged.
Diplomatic mistakes had isolated her, while
France. always growing richer and stronger, had
h..or,o q nartner in a Triple Entente whose power