The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-19

Although the Teutons are much .giv- en to the observance of anniversaries, it is highly improbable that there will be any celebration of the semi-cen- tenary of the beginning of the war be- tween Prussia and Austria. It was just 50 years ago this Sunday, on June IS, 1866, that the Prussian government issued it's declaration of war against Austria, King William I. also deliver ing @ royal manifesto to his subjects. The struggle thus commenced was destined to be of brief duration, and it's result to be of tremendous impor- tance to the whole world, for the con f1tct marked the first great triumph of what has since come to be called k''Prussian miIitarism," and it made Prussia the dominant state of Ger many and gave to the Hohenzollerns supreme power over the empire that was soon to be. The present war was
 made possible only by Prussia's over whelning victory in that brief clash of arms half a century ago.
 The Austro- Prussian war, like the Franco -Prussian war which followed, was made in Prussia, and by Bis marck. Only two years before Prus- sia and Austria, as allies, had invaded little Denmark and Wrested from her the duchies of schleswig and Holstein. Persuaded by Bismarck to enter the war in spite of the opposition of the other German states, Austria shared l in the opprobrium which attached to l this assault on a small and defence less neighbor, but the spells and ben efits went to Prussia. Bismarclx's dip E1omacy enabled Prussia, to claim Schleswig, with the seaport of Kfel in
 Holstein, while Austria was permitted
 to retain Holstein, which Bismarck
 clearly foresaw could be to the flaps
 burgs only source of weakness. Having secured the aid of Austria in
 pulling his Danish ehestnuts out of
 the fse, Bismarck immediately began
 to prepare to make Prussia's ally the victim of his tfblood and from policy | Treaties and alliances only aroused his gutteral Teutonic laughter. He snapped his fingers at treaties, and l IaudaciouSly declared that necessity was the law of Prussia. The Danish
 war was no sooner over than Prussia and Austria began to quarrel over the spells. Bismarck fostered the contro- versy, for it was his profound belief that two powers could not be first in Germany and he was determined that the supremacy so long held by the lHapsburgs should, as soon as possi- ble, pass to the HohenzoHerns. Bis marek determined to fight Austria, and the perfidious course adopted by Austria. gave excuse and opportunity. By secret diplomacy Austria won over nearly all the German states to her side. Bismarck evened the balance by
 winning over Italy to Prussia, promis-
 Ing Ven1t1a as Q reward for 1ta1y'S aS-
 s1stance in the impending storm.
 Austria demanded of the Diet that
 the German states should act with her own in combating the aggressions of Prussia, and the German Diet ap- proved of this demand. This action
 Bismarck construed as one of overt hostility, and, although her foes were : as three to one against her, Prussia
 boldly declared war.
 On the fifteenth of June, 1868, Prus- sia issued an ultimatum calling upon Saxony, Hanover, Nassau and Hesse- :: Cassel to remain neutral, and gave l them twelve hours to decide. When : the time elapsed without an answer , having been received, the Prussian forces took the field. On June 18th,
 Prussia declared war on Austria, and
 two days later Italy issued a dec1ara- ton of hostiIities against her ancient
 foe.
 The Prussian people were largely
 opposed to war, and in April great mass meeting in favor of peace had
 been held in Berlin, and a little la ter attempt had been made on Bis 2 marck's life. Bismarck and King Will [ liam disregarded these popular up- = heavals and went ahead with their s plans. and when the struggle opened s Prussia had half a million We1I-train- : ed men under arms.
 l Within two weeks Prussia had clear e ed the field for action by occupying
 Hanover and Hesse-Cassel and throw
 ling troops into Dresden and Leipsic e The armies of the smaller German = states were quickly subdued, captured
 or destroyed, and their monarchs were
 in flight. Then into Bohemia, whose d passes were undefended, poured the l. Prussian hordes, 28O,0OO strong witE h 800 guns. The three divisions of King
 AWilliam's army were headed b1