The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-21
GERMAN PEACE TERMS WE'RE
 SEVEREST IN MODERN TIMES.

What will be the price of peace ex- acted by the victor from the van. quished at the close of the present war? The answer to this question depends upon many Contingencies yet to be decided on the field of battle and in the council chambers of dfplo-, macy. Judging from precedent, the Germans, if victorious, would not be .excessivelyss magnanimous; while the French, who have cherished for over forty years the hope of revenge on Germany, would not be likely to abandon the idea in the hour of tri- umph.
 The Treaty of Frankfort. which ended the Franco-PruSsian war, was finally ratified and accepted by both nations. forty-four years ago today. May 21, .1871- It was the severity of the terms imposed by Germany, the harshest in modern history, which in spired the cry of tsRevanchel'' which has ever since been sounded in France. Neutral nations were aghast at the demands of the triumphant Bismarck, and it was believed that France was utterly crushed and ruined by the acceptance of the stern dictates of the Teuton conquerors
 Defeated on every field, it's capi- tai at the mercy of the enemy, it's i'm pef1a1 government wrecked beyond repair and the new republic only a senblance of a government, France did seem in a hopeless case when in February, 1871, the National Assem- bly, at Bordeaux sent the great states man, Thiers, to Versailles to treat with the victorious enemy. Thiers proceeded to Versailles and there he wrestled with Bismarck over every point of the German demands. Thiers was brilliant diplomat, but he could accomplish littla in the way of softening the Teuton demands Bis marck was determined to reduce France to the role of a. second-class nation, and, with a great army be- hind him, he was in a position to make any demands that pleased him.
 It was finally agreed that France should pay an indemnity of five mil lizards of francs, or a billion dollars, within the space of three years. and that the evacuation of French terri. tory by. German troops was to take place proportionately as the in dennnity was paid. More ga1ling to the French spirit was the enforced cession- of French territory to Ger
 many The whole of A1sace, except BeIfort, and one-fifth Of the province of Lorraine were to be annexed by Germany.
 This was bitter pill for France, but, with the Teuton pistol. pointed at her head, she could do nothing but narck that France would be inapov- erfshed and financially ruined by the payment of the indemnity of billion dollars. The German statesman was Inclined to- believe that the French would not be able to raise such a sum | in so short a time, and that this l would give excuse for continued 1 and perhaps permanent occupation of French territory. The proverbiaa thrift of the French people saved the 1 day. Inspired by the desire to rid 1 themselves, of the hateful presence of l the Germans, F'renchmen 4 of all
 classes dug down into their stock
 ings and used their savings to buy l government bonds. The billion do1- l lars was raised with ease. It was 1 the supreme regret of Bismarck's life that he had not demanded an even
 larger sum. The French paid, but, paying, they did not forget The 4 treaty signed at Frankfort on May l 1o,. 1871, and ratified on May 21se, | inspired in French breasts a desire 1 for revenge which is still potent and i powerful. The Frankfort treaty of
 peace bore within it the seed of flu 1 ture< war.