Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-11-08
The German Peace Of 1871
Christian Science Monitor.

coming 10 see the slgnlHednce " ths way
of Frankfort by which, on May 10, 1871, the
German kings and princes under the leadership
of the king of Prussia, the new German EN-
peror, forced German peace on the PROSTATE
French people 1t was the last stone IN the
foundation of the huge structure Of "Macht gent
vor Recht," the breaking down of which is be-
ing witnessed today. Prussia had behind her at
Frankfort three victorious wars, that holiday
trip" into Denmark the Seven Days war, the
Seven Weeks war with Austria, and the Seven
Months war with France. In the case OF Den
mark and Austria, she had dictated her own
terms, and more than ever it was the determine
ton of Bismarck, the uncrowned king OF Prus-
STA and German emperor, to dictate peace to
France.
I The battles of Worth and Specheren, Won
vile and Mars-La-Tour, Saint Privat and Grave
lotte, had eliminated in the terrible climax at
Sedan, where, on that memorable September
day in 1870 Napoleon III and his last free army
of 100000 men and $50 guns surrendered to the
king of Prussia. The issue was decided, France
was definitely defeated, and all the world fully
recognized the fact If there had been any sim
cerity in the German attitude, it might have
ended here. but as one writer has put it, "On
| the one side there was no chivalry, on the other
side no common sense" Prussia scornfully re-
Jected all propositions of peace except on terms
to which France could not submit. Not an
inch of our territory, not a stone of our fort
| resses" declares Jules Favre on September 6,
four days after Sedan; and when in reply, Bis
marck insisted on the surrender of Alsace the
war went on.
The longer the French resisted the more
bitterly the German pride resented it. Not only
| the German rulers but the German peope had
now intellectually submitted to Bsmarcl's
motto Might to them undoubtedly went before
right. Could anyone now doubt it? Had not
| three wars given "one great cresCendo of proof
of the validity of the Bismarckian precept?"
The crown prince, Influenced by the crown
| princess, daughter of Queen Victoria, was
| opposed to any bombardment of Paris, and
again and again the notorious Busch, in the
chronicles of his master, reveals the Indignation
| that Bismarck felt at any suggestion of humani-
tariansm in the methods of the invading
armies. Someone spoke of the last engage
ment," says Busch, land said that portion of
200 prisoners that had been taken were francs
treurs Prisoners broke in the chief, who
seemed to be still extremely angry, why do
| they continue to make prisoners? They should
have shot down the whole 1900 one after the
other"
| Paris was finally invested by the army of the
crown prince on September 49, and as the
stinately held out the temper of the invading
| armies and especially of the general staff, be-
| came steadily more and more bitter. On De-
| cember Bismarck is discussing with Busch the
difficulties Of the peace negotiations. 81 should
try little coercion on the Parisians," he re-
marks. II should say to them: I hold you
| 100000 responsible in your own persons.
shall let you starve for "a hours unless you
agree to our demands. Yes, and yet another
four and twenty hours Come what might of
1t, would stick to my opinion but for the king,
the crown prince, and the women who force
their sentimental views upon them"
All efforts to relieve Paris or to effect a
successful sortie ultimately, of course, failed
and the starving city capitulated on January a.
1871. 1t then became a question of the final set
| tement, and here a glimpse is caught of the
Prussian, as he appeared in the full light of day
some 40 years afterward. 1t was Bismarck's
aim utterly to crush France, and so he de-
nanded the utmost that he thought it possible
| to wiring from her. France was obliged to cede
the whole of Alsace, except Belfort, large part
of Lorraine, including Metz was required to
support the army of occupation, to cede to Ger
| many the right to be treated by France as the
most favored nation and was required to pay,
within three years, the huge sum, in those days,
of 5,OO0OO0000 francs. As surety for the in
demnity the German armies were to occupy the
whole of that part of France which had been
overrun and were only to withdraw department
by department as the crushing debt was paid
Finally to signallze the complete humiliation of
France, a detachment of 10000 German soldiers
marched in triumph under the Arc de Triomphe
and down the Champs Elysees, bivouacking in
the Place de la Concorde and the gardens of the
Tuileries.
The story of how France discharged the
whole of her debt and cleared her soil of Ger
man troops in less than a year, is one of the
great stories of the last century. But France
never forgave or forgot the ruthless treatment
melted out to her by the German conqueror
The figure of Strasburg in the Place de la Con-
corde was draped with crepe and immortelles
and the Lost Provinces" passed into the Ian
guage as perpetual reproach and perpetual
| demand for restitution.
The effect on Germany of the victory of 1871
and especially of the peace which she was able
to impose. was quickly seen. As one writer has
well put it, the signature on the Treaty of
| Frankfort summarized vast change. The en-
pire that had declared war was no more, and
the new republic of France made peace not with
the king of Prussia or the sovereign president
of the North German confederation, but with
| King Wilhelm as the first German emperor
| King Ludwig II of Bavaria and King Charles
| of Wurtemberg had entered the confederation
with the greatest reluctance and only on guar
antee of certain privileges, but before the end of
| November the necessary treaties had been con-
cluded and the confederation became the Ger
man empire. By January, 1871, all the para-
ments had approved the change, and on the 18th
of that month. in the Hall of the Mirrors. of
the palace of Versailles amidst display of ire
STA was proclaimed German emperor, and the
imperial chancellor, who had wrought and
schemed so much to make possible this achieve
ment was created Prince Won Bismarck
| so, when the Bismarckian transformation
was complete" writes Mr.. G.. H. Perris in his