The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-01-20
Veterans Column
Continued from page two.)

Continued from page two.)
these states vote on the question Of
annexation as had been done II
Italy. They were annexed by the
right of conquest on decree ISSUED
from Ierlin, where one king who
ruled by divine right" deposed two
or three others whose thrones were
similarly bolstered up. Thus IN
creased Prussia became the leader
in a new German confederation which
included all but four German states
and from which Austria was eX
cluded.
THE BLOOD AND IRON" POLICY
The blood and iron" policy hat
triumphed. Prussia had humblec
Austria and become the dominant
power in Germany. Yet Germany
was not united. The four southern
states still were outside the Confed-
Grafton. So there was need fol
more blood and iron" Bismarck
believed a war between France and
Prussia inevitable and CHazen's Ecu
rope Since 1916" PIP. 289-290) in
his opinion it was desirable as the
only way of completing the unifica
ton, since Napoleon III would never
willingly consent to the extension OF
the Confederation to include the
South German states. All that ne
desired was that it should come al
precisely the right moment, when
Prussia was entirely ready, and that
it should come by act of France, SO
that Prussia could pose before Eu-
rope as merely defending herself
against a wanton aggressor In his
"Reminiscences he avows that he en-
tertained his belief as early as 1866
That war with France would sue
coed the war with Austria lay in the
logic of history; and again, I did
not doubt that a Franco-German wal
must take place before the constfuc-
ton of United Germany could be
realized The unification of Ger
many being his supreme aim, he was
bound by logic and ambition TO see
that that war occurred"
HOW THE FRANCO GERMAN WAR
WAS BROUGHT ABOUT.
He explains frankly in his 'Remi-
niscences" how he brought the war
about. There was a delicate dlplo-
matte situation between Prussia and
France in 1870 which arose oven the
succession to the Spanish throne.
The King of Prussia was at Ems.
The French ambassador went to see
him and made certain demands. The
Emperor telegraphed these to Bis
marck, saying that he could use his
discretion about publishing them.
Won Moltke and Room, the great
Prussian soldiers, were with Bis
marck when the telegram came. They
were in a detected mood for they saw
no chance of war. Then, says Bis
marck, II reduced the telegram by
striking out the words. but without
adding or altering After I
read out the concentrated edition to
my two guests Moltke remarked !:
Now it has a different ring; it sound
cd before like q parley now it is like
flourish in answer to challenge.
/ went on to explain: If in execu-
tion of his Majestys order / at once
communicate this text which con-
tains no alteration in or addition to
the telegram, not only to the news
papers, but also by telegraph to all
our embassies, it will be known in
Paris before midnight, and not only
on account of its contents, but also
on account of the manner of its dis
tribution, will have the effect of a
red rag upon the Gallo bull Fight
we must If we do not want to act
the part of the vanquished without
a battle. Success, however, essenti-
ally depends upon the impression
which the origination of the war
makes upon us and others; 1t is i'm
portant that we should be the party
attacked. and this Gallo overweem-
ing and loneliness will make us If
we announce in the face of Europe,
so far as we can, without the speak
ing tube of the Reichstag, that we
fearlessly met the public threats of
France He adds that this explain
alton brought about in the two gen.
erals a revulsion to a more joyous
mood, The liveliness of which sur
prised me-"
WAR BY A TRICK.
The trick had it's desired effect.
France declared war against Prus-
STA. The ever ready "blood and IRON
were loosed again.
Everything was as Bismarck
wished. The South German states
joined Prussia. The French were
defeated quickly and completely. In
less than six months after the open
ing gln was fired, on January Is,
1871, King William the First was
crowned Emperor of united Ger
many, she four southern states had