Norwich bulletin., 1916-02-01
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
100 Years Ago.

MT. Editor: To those who are now laying the cause of the war to Ger many's desire to control Europe, h1s- tory must point out Germany's position about 100 years ago, when Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France, carried war into Prussia from the banks of the Rhine to the Niemen. France at that time was the greatest power in the world. Napoleon ruled practically all Europe, for all countries that were not his possessions or his vassals were his allies. We must remember how Prus- sia suffered at his hands-how the armies of France poured into that Ger man state to satisfy the ambition of Russia came to the aid of the king and queen of Prussia. and with them he swore never to make friends with Ma poleon until they could dictate terms of peace to him on the banks Of the Rhine. Here we are reminded that Russias agreement was only a scrap of paper" for, after the terrible defeat of the Teutonic and Muscovite armies at FriedIand, and the white flag was unfurled by them at Tilsit, Alexander became the staunch friend and ally of Napoleon.
 History tells us of how Queen Louise went to Napoleon and begged him to spare the province of Magdeburg to Prussia, but the emperor skilfully evaded all her entreaties. When the queen lClI NdPO1COA dIO WVAL W4Ln AACA husband to Memel for the winter, she went in poverty. Her servants were dismissed and everything she had of value was sold for the cause of Prus- sia. But she kept her pearls, for, " she said, pearls are tears, and I have shed so many of them"
 The czar and Napoleon met on a raft in the center of the River Niemen
 so that they would be sure to be on neutral territory, and there the em- peror of the east and the emperor of the west, swho so lately had been at
 one another's throats, divided up the earth between them. For the deser- ton of the German alliance, the czar received a strip of land from Prussia who had been his ally, and Napoleon s promise to allow Russia to take Fin | land from Sweden. Napoleon refused l to grant him Constantinople, which was the czar's greatest request, for, he said, whoever holds Constantinople rules the world" And so the two great monarchs carved up Europe at the ex- pense of fallen Prussia-and a few l other weakened countries of the conti- nent.
 i A staggering fine was imposed upon | Prussia for daring to oppose the em- peror of the French, and the troops of | France were quartered in Berlin and other great Prussian fortresses until | the fine was paid. The terms provided l that Prussia should not keep a stand | ing army of more men than Napoleon should allow, because, as the French emperor told the king, Prussia must never again become a European pow l er''
 1 Queen Louise of Prussia died in 1810 | in the 35th year of her age, but her | son, just 50 years to a day from her
 death, started on his avenging march on Paris, later to be crowned German l emperor in the palace at Versailles. i If a united Germany has emerged 1 from years of war and blood, so strong | as to be able to keep Europe in arms | at bay, we must remember that there | were dark days for Prussia 100 years | ago, when treaties were as much scraps of paper" as they are today | and when the now imperial German ] empire was divided against itself.
 EARLE M. WOOD.
 Taftville. Conn, Jan. 26. 1918.