Evening star., 1917-01-14

J And The NBN
the universe. lie became the caDai-
date OF the searchers for ''patrie. with
mentr. Of formal or tacit engagement.
of immediate or remote risks.
We know what was Napoleon's ter
rible dilemma when he found himself
confronted by German
NaDoleon's unity such AS Bismarck
nr had planned. since
long time men In Ger
may had signaled the undercurreni
which was bearing Germany toward
unity-the dangerous shadows Of Prus-
sian ambition. That ambition pronted
with surprising cieverness by the SOU
venirs that the wars against Napoiecn
had left In the heart of Germany
Prussia nism, which had been the moot
ardent factor in the struggle againri
the 'tyrant." appeared as the patrop~ss
Of the Independence OF peoples. There
was confusion between '1iberating pa
triotism'' and dominating miiitarism" I"
That confusion inspired Treitschke the
phrase which appears In his work a. a
"leitmotiv'':
ut is prussia alone which has created
German unity less by the reelected
action of her covenants than by the
interior force of her institutions-whai
comes to the same thing-which has
dominated her political evolution. And
the writer going to the depths OF his
soul. says again: The Prusrian
hobereau country squirrel created Ger
man unity" Bismarck maintained the
/ Ill 1..A
credited him to the public rs the
Messiah of the Prussian hobereau.
German unity was thus constituted not
by the application OF the principle of
liberty and European unity. hut bs
the supremacy of dynhIty and OF q
conquering dynasty.
Bsmarcks act was 10 preserve con-
fusion in the spirit Of peoples and to
exercise by the people q pressure on
the resistanccs OF governments. Pros
ressiveiy since 1870 the trenches OF
particularism were carried away and
the feudal and military empire was
definiately installed.
NJ. Hsnotaux 10 treating. Ia the re
views. under the head of war and
peace. the question
Hanotaux on the especially OF peace
Peace Problem. 70 a.rm.nx ~ 'I r..
suggests that at the conclusion Of
the armistice. which. he thinks, 10
almost in sight, Bavaria. saxony.
Wurtemberg and the duchy Of Baden
should be admitted separately In the
congress called to discuss peace. ~.
Hanotaux's reasons are unique and
ingenious. He insists that the Ger
man empire, founded In 1870, not being
the result of deliberation between
powers. constitutes . pact res inter
alios acta." which for this reason the
allied entente powers may treat as
null and non-existent in law. a sta te
of fact which does not repose upon
any engagement or contract. ana where
the participants themselves have beer
deceived by an unworthy and avOw ed
ruse tthe ruse being the well known
fraudulent. dispatch from Ems which
precipitated the Franco-Prussian war
of 1S70).
The argument of NJ Hanotaux win
scarcely be considered seriously. The
history of the last forty-hve years is
have inclined TO and ratified tine proc
lanation of the empire. Moreover
there Is the Manifestation Of German
opinion. the public and press. in favor
II may be suggested to n. Hanotaux
! that IL he would seriously bring action
against the empire the course mosi
certain of results would bs TO Suggest
Immediately after arrnistice the de-
thronement Of the empire and recognize
the German people as the government
de facto. IL 10 dincuit to discover
what advantage there would be 20 treat
the above-named German states sep
arately. Doubtless the allies when vie
torious Will have ready some arm more
potent than that suggested by the ex-
minister OF foreign affairs of the Qusi
d'Orsay.
II Is certain that Germany. ~ van
auished. must be reconstructed and as a
matter of precautton surrounded by q
group OF strong states TO avert the
danger Of n pam -germanism or a recur-
renee of miiitarism The reconst,ta-
ton OF new Germany is a sine qua
non TO the establishment of A good
Europe; that Is TO say. Of new Europe.
Prof. Naumann has already Launched
the idea of a "Mittel- Europa" a. q sort
of evolution and compro-
Naumann'a mise with the pan-ger-
r. manism which. IL is as
sumed. must 60 He rec
ognizes that the empire OF the Hoh.n-
zollerns fails to achieve its ambitions.
Prussia will be reduced TO her former
limits. The entente allies will inter-
vene and in advance viii trace around
Prussia the famous circle of the Roman
Popilius to assure punishment, indetn-
nifty and guarantee. In this regard u
may be well to refer to the fact that
Won Bethmann Holiweg recognised
himself the necessity In a recent speech
that Germany must accomplish pro-
found democratic reforms
Then things in Austria and Hungary