The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-08

To understand Germany political
Ily we must examine her history and
fix our attention on Prussia. There
are two Germanies today-modern
Germany, Germany of the masses,
kindly, orderly, and industrious; po-
litical Germany, governmental Ger
many, medieval absolutist, milltar-
list, aggressive The latter is pass
ing; the former is the Germany of
tomorrow.
The Start Of the Hohenzollerns.
Adult the time Of the discovery of
America, the Hohenzollern family
ruled over an insignificant tract
surrounding the village of Berlin.
In 1911, its power was extended by
I the union of the Mark of Brandon
burg and the Duchy of Prussia. In
1910 strong character, Frederick
William, came into power. He eA
ercised despotic rule, but put his
house in order and developed rel
atively strong standing army with
which to make further Roadway by
force as opportunity might offer. In
| 1888, the date of the Restoration in
England and the beginning of her
orderly constitutional government,
Frederick the Third, an ambitious
/ individual, became head Of the
house His title was Elector Of
Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia.
fle was anxious for recognition, for
the title of King. The War IF the
Spanish Succession was about to be
gin His overload, the Holy Ronlan
Emperor, needed assistance. Fred
crick was prepared to trade and
rromised the aid of his army in ex-
change for the title Of Elector Of
Brandenburg and King of Prussia
This he secured in 1901 Here was
the first phase of the contact with
tustria. the last of which is seen in
our own day in the complete suhor-
dination of Austrian to Prussi;n in
fluence.
A violent, british person, Fred
e,ick William the First. began to
r4ign in 1913. Like his ancestors
he kept his eye on the main chance,
hushanded his resources, and added
to his army which at his death
numbered $4,000, an immmense
trained force for that day
and time. He, too, was ready by
force to add to his patrimony at the
expense Of any convenient neighbor
1t was left to his successor to make
use Of what he had prepared. In
1740 the Emperor Of Austria,
Charles the Sixth, the last of the
male line Of Hapsburgs, died. He
had bound the leading powers by
solemn pledge to recognize as his
successor his daughter, Maria Their
esa. Frederick the Great promptly
gave Maria Theresa strong assur-
ance Of friendship and support, hav-
ing it in mind at the very time to
commit crime against her. ~. sad
denly moved his ~rmv agar; be-
province Of Silcsia, and aft eirr'
years Of desperate warfare appro-
priated it. He at last made no pre-
tense Of virtue, and is reported to
have said: "Ambition, interest and
the desire Of making people talk
about me carried the day and | de-
cided for war"
Prussia Unaffected by Lib
eral Movements.
Prussia was defeated and humili-
ated by Napoleon in quick cam
paign in 1906, but the liberal move
ments of the period scarcely affect
ed her. She bided her time and laid
her plans. Her next considerable |
advance was made in 1864, when
she induced Austria to join her in :
taking Schleswig and Holstein from
Denmark Austria received Hol-
stein; and in 1866 Prussia picked |
quarrel with her and quickly van
pushed her, appropriating Holstein
and annexing Hanover, Hesse, Mas
sau, and Frankfort, which had tax
en- sides with Austria. Thus she |
rounded out her territory. When the
Prussian Parliament protested that |
force was not a sufficient justifica- !
ton for what had been done to Den |
mark, Bismark replied: "Our right |
is the right of the German nation to !
exicts, to breathe, to unite The
claim Of place in the sun, the doc t
trine of necessity, and the right of ,
might are not of recent appearance
in Prussian history They have
been the outstanding characters
tics of her thinking and practice
since she emerged from medieval
obscurity"