The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-28
BIG SEPARATION
/. Of GERMAN NATION
NOW POSSIBILITY
Jealousy and AntagOniSm OF
Many Years May Result in
SpIitup for Former Empire
Following Defeat.
BY FRANK n. sIMONDs.

D1 MANN II. SIMON D9s
The News ScImItar'E Military Expert.
NEW YORK, Nov. 2S.--No wise man
will venture to forecast the immediate
future of Germany on the strength Of
such evidence as is available. Yet Il
will surprise no one that there should
be disclosed, on the morrow Of the
great defeat, sepsratist tendencies in
tments in Western Germany. Both
have their foundation in history,
The present German empire was
founded upon the fact of military VIC
tory At the outset OF the Franco
Prussan war both the French and the
the South Germans. Napoleon III was
wrong and Bismarck right, but there
was basis for the French belief that the
states which had only little more
than half century ago been members
Of the confederation of the Rhine and
had sympathized with Austria in the
recent war, would stand with France
rather than with Prussia.
Bismarck, on his part, reasoned that
the real unification Of Germany could
only take place when the two sections
had been participants in great and
victorious campaign He procured the
by editing the Ems Dispatch" South
Germany did march with Prussia, and
| after Sedan and Metz came the great
| scene In the Hall OF Mirrors at Yer
sailles, soon to see the peace congress,
when William l. was crowned German
| emperor.
But. even after victory It required
all OF Bismarck's skill to bring the
There were personal jealousies and
there we're historic rivalries, Bavaria
| had once aspired TO the leadership in
Germany; the Bavarian dynasty wal
| HahAnuniiAfsn
between North and South Germany wai
| the great religious diff4rsEoASp ppiJf'
Ion. which IN. the past mad coYtFiBtitet
to Bavarian alignment with France ant
with Austria rather than with Prussia
Unity Grows.
| After 1871 there was an unmistak.
able march toward unity; the two sec.
| tons of the new country lost their ole
| greater and greater ascendancy al
| Prussian military and expansionist
ideas laid hold of the minds OF the Ba
varians as well as of the younger gen.
GRAFTON in Baden and Wurttemburg, YET
there remained a certain measure o!
| antipathy.
The great question now is whether
the defeat and the complete upset o.
the Prusslan military gospel and pres
tige will abolish what was only pos.
sible because of military victory, Be
tween Prussia and Bavaria, as well a.
the other Southern states there remain
great differences. The German Aus
trians, who have Just proclaimed thei
separation from the Hapsburg empir,
and their desire for union with Ger
many, as far more closely related II
history and in character to Bavarii
than to Prussia, and q union between
Bavaria, Baden, Wurttemburg and Ger
man Austria. either In a single state o.
more probably in the federation o
states which would follow the preceden
Of the old confederation OF the Rhine
would he logical.
to conservative ideas. Republicanlsm
which may be swept aside for tn
Bolshevistic ideas in Prussia, II IA
more likely to prevail in the South
and If the North becomes BolshevittIc
while the South elects the republican
Of cleavage. Religion, political form
and the traditions Of history whicl
is only relatively remote. may easil
prove stronger than the influences du
to Bismarckian policy and derived fror
military victory, now become mlitar
| disaster.
At all events the possibilities must h
in all minds now. We may see Sout
German state numbering between Is.
900 nn0 ard 10000, 900 Inhabitants, Rom
an Catholics. as oontrasted with Prus
sta which Is, meinlv.N save for tn
Rhine districts, Protestant. conserva
tive. where Prussia is tending hourl
10 become more radical
Restore Balance.
J Such development would restore tn
balance Of power In Europe, broke
when Germany. having defeated France
suddenly expanded in population an
industrial strength 80 rapidly as to be
come not merely greater than Franc,
and Russia with Austrian aid. II Britai
did not intervene, Prussia would re
main, II 1t did not undergo furthe
reductions born of additional upheavai
state with the population Of Franc
and area considerably greater than ths
, testify improper for the nations whlc
, have defeated Germany to seek to par
tition her, save in the case OF terri
tories rightfully French, Polish or Oar
| ish. It Is for the Germans to settI
the question Of their future politics
abolish the edlfice erected by Bismarcl
But 1t Is unmistakably a fact that n
+ separation of North and South German
would greatly lessen the possibility tht
: the world would. again have to face IL
/ German tribes in arms and united
| LIR Ol WOTlu power.
: Separatist traditions have alwa,
been the stronger In Germany save
the last century II tradition Is to d,
termlne the future. then we may e,
peot new resolution of Germany I'M
the various elements fused bv Bismarc
: In 1870 On the other hand, It is nj
= impossible that we shall see a revol,
tion like the French revolution swee
7 the whole country and destroy all loc
: and provincial barriers and compar
: ments.
0 copyright, 1913, by New York Tribun
2 Inc.)