Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-09-20
STRIKING PARALLELS IN WARS AND REPUBLIC BIRTHS.

PARALLELS IN WARS N REPUBLIC BIRTHS.
We can best understand the rise Of the Russian republic
and the dangers confronting it, If we compare the influences
our own American democracy. As the Russian democracy
is the direct outcome Of the great European war, though
t sSe' DECLARATION 'n' Of Independence de q and Z the s. is Of the h e
United States can be traced directly to the Seven Years War
in Europe, in which the colonists OF the Champlain valley fig
ured so conspicuously.
The historical parallel thus drawn nj is all all, the 1 more striking adnn
pean powers were involved in the Seven Years War as now,
bination started in a move to break down Prussia. Then un-
like the present, England , Ultimately at found herself fighting
The springs Of the Seven Years War are to be found
Charles i as! y, Who died d in in l7 4 leaving aS!E H his HEREDITARY Msry d ia%in p
Austria, had sought to guard against possible dispute of the
tiSn' sssent sy i tn 1 by si tSs R anSgn as s ths P p1oyEnsss o sa the
Austrian realm and sanctioned by solemn guaranty of al
Frederick If Of Prussia, later known as Frederick the
Gs9st, and AZ NOV free rssoyg niss;aa as s patron 70 .. saint Of the the present
guaranty to a. scrap 1ss t Of pspsr. !''f H. 20 re ssuSss T sG am ob ssssts
claim on silesea, and took possession Of the province, leav-
ing debate BY Austria to be carried out afterward, a la Bel
The King Of Spain claimed the whole succession to the
Austrian throne, and France, unwilling to see her ancient
rival dismembered without taking a piece of the pie her
ssIf, es %s4Sst;snt to back fs1 ,d his claim; agreeing sa.1n to >, take !. t9 9s,d Aa S
demnity in the Austro-Italian States. England b%efriended
Austria IT is and a 1s shsa + e; Sex fact sns ssas F Tsi stssn the only ars Sn t ns. ss nc
more to be trusted in the middle of the eighteenth century
ITcSlueNC WuSO ImO MS auCOCraClC descendant trust
worthy in 1917. In 1742 Maria Theresa, acting under pres
sure Of England gave up the greater part Of silesia to
upon abandoned its allies and withdrew from the war.
The Austrians recovered their ground so rapidly that
arms again, this time in alliance with France. England also
abandoned Austria and in 1745 Maria Theresa in the treaty
war against Austria until 174s when through the influence ICE
famous treaty of Aixla-Chapele. Strangely enough Maria
in various aims were the chief benpficiaripS 0f this 1Onp wal
of succession.
We are warned by this Prussian peace against a Ger
man peace in the present war, and we find also therein full
warranty for President Wilson's insistance that the war shall
continue until the German people themselves are ready and
" . SIX years a after ss'tt55 the treaty. ssaS.e IF A22s s:1is;c wa. signed
George of England, a German king, believing France had de-
signs on the ~latters electorate Of Hanover, and the result
joined France, the other allies being Russia, Sweden, Poland,
As the Kaiser Of Germany claimed the existence
IN Bel }n a., Of s documents Trada1;s1 to Isl sh9 gv, Engisnd's designs on Ger
ment Of the powers against him to break down Prussia and
partition his territories. Without waiting to be attacked by
s "a asSas seized isedSq Dres ss'ni by n SURPRISE as e captured nt the s docSme mts
he desired and published them to the world in ~vindication of
There you have the example followed by the Kaiser in
1914 in invading Belgium. Another example the Kaiser sought
the course of Frederick in rushing his army into Bohemia
and defeating the Agstrians at Lowositz, returning rapidly
enlist them in his own ranks.
George, had allowed the Rs1 French Ha army to force him i'm to N'a aa
agreement to disband his army, but Frederick shutted his
forces back and forth, and snatched victory over French,
Austrians and Russians from an apparent defeat on different
sides.
Frederick the Great made the mistake of pushing a
victory over the Russians too far, and therefrom his Prus-
sian descendants of this day are gaining valuable lessons. The
Kaiser also learned some things apparently from FrederHk's
wanton and inhuman bombardment of Dresden-a prece-
dent for present inhuman German atrocities.
Conditions in 1852 were strikingy like those now pre-
vailing in most of Europe's belligerent countries. Prussia,
France, and Austria were suffering almost equally from
exhaustion: Misery among their people was great and their
armies dwindled: Peter Of Holstein, who admired Frederick,
became Gar of Russia which withdrew from the war against
him. Sweden made peace a little later and finally Frederick
skilfull shifted the burden to Britain and the war degener-
ated into a struggle between France and England for colonial
empire.
The American colonists, and especially the New Eng
landeIs, had captured the fortified French naval station at
Louisbourg on Cape Breton in "King Georges War" but the
treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle returned it, leaving all the old dis
putes as to boundaries to breed fresh war on the American
continent. The people Of New England thus saw their sacri: