Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-02-16


sur descendants will be much changed.
We are passing out Of an age Of spec
ulative philosophy into one Of actuali-
ties. This American. Franklin. VINO
was here before the Revolution. has
pointed out a new field. believe
there is a valuable power In steam.
which another American has already
applied to driving boat. DuZing the
present century the people OF the CIV
tized world will contrive. This period |
Of warfare that Bonaparte seems bent
UPON continuing will end-at least for
q time-with him. Relieved Of the cas-
ualties of war. our European popula-
ton will increase. 1t may be that It
will spread to new continents.
mechanical devices will be extend.
ed into every department. including
war. Having swifter means of slaugh-
ter. the nations win be more loath to
fight one another. That I believe. will
stop war;"
you arc wrong, monsieur. War will
never cease"
well, then. 1t will grow less fire.
quent."
Suppose that. century from now,
O united Germany shall attempt to
crush France. What then:
The old man thought for some time
without replying. Then he said:
"a group Of nations is forming to
crush Bonaparte. This will be the be-
ginning Of groups Of allies yet to come.
Some statesmen will see the advan-
tage Of uniting several nations with
view to controlling Europe. This will
lead to q counter group
"And when war comes 1t will be be-
tween these groups and all Europe
will be involved. see. Never mind
the political consequences Of these al-
Eances. Give me the military issues"
I'm n hundred years the people OF
Europe will have more than doubled.
perhaps quadrupled. Armies that are
now composed Of a few hundreds OF
thousands will then be millions. The
killed and wounded and prisoners OF
war instead Of being counted by thou
sands will be hundreds Of thousands
And the battle line" Napoleon put
in, will be 80. 100. perhaps 200 miles
long,"
Il. thought. monsieur, you asked me to
give you the military future. You seem
quicker in this than l. defer to you"
ITO move such armies" Napoleon
continued. ignoring the speaker. will
be herculean task. There will not
be roads enough for their advance
"You forget the new power OF steam.
1t may develop"
"You mean armies will be moved In
stead of moving. Well. grant that
there are inventions that will carry
thousands Of them and ut speed OF
hundred miles in Il single day. l
grant in this case they can be moved
within reasonable time. But do you
not know. monsieur. that un army
moves on its belly: A million Of men
to be fed
Perhaps 2.0OO.OOO."
1.-TWO million men to have two meals
a day. The food must be transported
or the men will starve. And the am-
munition. 1t weighs-it will weigh
tons upon tons. How will Il general
he able to follow up an enemy and
carry with him such weight? And
granting he could do 1t In time OF
peace, how would he do 1t with his enc
my destroying the roads and bridges
before him?
1.-The point dappui will be then. rs
now. the enemy's capital. Suppose
French army attempts to seize. as
Bonaparte has done, Vienna. He will
reach It with Il starving army and
short of ammunition. Suppose n unit
ed Germany marches ON Paris. 1t will
be the saSle. Let Russia attempt to
capture Berlin. The more men she
has with whom to do 1t the worse Off
she will be. 80 far as feeding and pro-
vding them with ammunition IRE con-
cerned.
"And how are these starving armies
to batter down such Notifications as
will be constructed hundred years
from now? Enormous cannon weighing
many tons will be required. How Gun
an invading force expect to move these
enormous weights over roads and
bridges destroyed by retiring enc
my? Believe me, my friend. when
that day comes war will be a dead
lock. No power can attack another