The Alaska daily empire., 1915-05-17
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FAMOUS PEACE TREATIES; END OF THE FRANCO
 GERMAN WAR.


 . .s END OF THE FRANCO : z GERMAN WAR. : :. i. |. s e s .s q. < ,. s ss Q 's s' z
 France lay crushed and helpless under the prussian heel. The short fierce war of 1870 had wrecked her
 boasted power and prestige and had
 put her at the mercy of her German
 foes.
 Paris had held out for months. but
 now the capital had fallen and every
 other French position of importance
 was in German hands. There was
 nothing left for the stricken nation
 but to sue for peace on whatever
 terms the victors might dictate. The
 defeat was so absolute that there was no hope for cajoling or bluffing the
 Germans into easy measures.
 Frances rotten empire had fallen. Frances newborn republic was still weak and but half formed. The As- sem5ly met at Bordeax on Feb. 2. 1871, soon after the fall of Paris. and chose the veteran statesman. Thiers. as the country's executive head. dep. putting him to go to Versailles, where the German monarch was quartered, and there to begin peace negotiations.
 The Germans had granted an armis. tice Of three weeks for this very pur- pose but the negotiations dragged on so long that the armistice was twice renewed.
 Thiers reached the German head. quarters at the French palace of Yer sailles on Feb. 21. lie was presented in due form to the conquerers and heard their ideas as to the price that should bc paid for the privilege or having made unsuccessful war on Prussia and for having been so roundly thrashed by the whole feder ations of German States.
 These terms were so unbellevably severe that Thiers sought in every possible way to soften them But ey- en the most skilled player can do nothing when his opponent not only holds every card. but knows the exact value of both hands. and after long and willy haggling that came-to noth. ing Thiers submitted to the enemy's dictates.
 Here in brief are the terms the victorious Germans demanded (and exactedl from their fallen rivals:
 First-that France should cede { to Germany one-fifth of the rich pro.I vnce of Lorraine. including the fort ress city Of Metz. which France cen- turies earlier had snatched in war fare from the Germans.
 Second-That France should cede the whole province Of Alsace. with the exception of the Belfort region.
 Third-That France should pay Germany war indemnity of orc bil. ':on dollars-no easy task for na- tion impoverished and broken by the most disastrous war of It's history
 Fourth That certain parts of France should remain under German rule and German occupancy until all ! the indemnity be paid
 This bitter dose France was forced to swallow There was no way Of evading it. But 1t famed her resent ment against Germany into deathless hatred, and even in that black hour the slogan "Revengei" was shouted On May 10 the treaty was signed at Frankfort The treaty Of Frankfort was ratified on May 2l The ceded provinces. with their 1,5OOOOO inhab- tants. passed into German hands. France at once set out to pay the , debt (5.O0O0OO.0OO francs ' ndemnity) Day laborers. servants. h peasants, small shopkeepers. all clam ( 'red for the privilege Of investing ( heir savings in the bonds which ' would free their land of the Germans presence. On Sept 5. 1873, the last nstalment of the debt was paid, and f light days later the last German sol Her marched out Of France. i The final demand of the Treaty of frankfort had been met. The debt hat the common people had should n red was cancelled. and France began C o look forward to the recovery Of 6 er seized Alsace.Lorraine provinces. 'or the treaty had left behind 1t oodly heritage of hate.