The sun., 1918-10-14
GERMANS VIOLATED
ARMISTICE IN 1874
Empire Was Born at Very Mo-
ment Army Was Breaking
Faith With French.
THREATENED THE NORTH
Uhlans Raided Country to In
spire Fear Among the Re-
naming Troops.
THREATENED THE NORTH

The German idea Of an armistice.
according to the historical authorities
VINO recorded the events Of the year
1871, might be taken as an indication
OF what the Kaiser's forces would
esteem to be their military privileges
In the event the Allies agree to a truce
II was that period of the Franco
Prussian war in which Paris, toward
the close OF January. 1871. found her
self no longer able to Withstand the
siege guns that had been brought up to
the very nose of st. Denis. Inside the
city the Reds were rising and It was
merely matter of hours when the
provisional Government would be COM
PEELED to yield.
BY January 2s the negotiations that
had been started between the besieged
and the besieger had progressed to such
an extent that firing had practically
ceased on both sides. Two days later
formal armistce was concluded, ex-
tending to the entire map, with the ex-
ceptlon Of the Belfort and eastern
theatre. which Jules Favre expressly
excepted without taking the trouble to
notify the leaders Of the troops in that
theatre.
To Retain Mutual Positions.
Under the terms Of the armistice the
armies In the field were to retain their
mutual positions and. to leave a neutral
space between them. The Germans held
the Departments of Sarthe, Indre-et-
Loire, Loire-et-Cher, Loiret. Yonne and
Al or thu territory north OF them. with the
exception Of the Departments of Pas de
calais and Nord The Germans like
wise moved In and occupied the Paris
f0rts, holding as prisoners of war the
troops OF occupation, with the exception
or 90 much Of the National Guard as
was required for actual police duty.
meantime the German army of the
west, which had for reasons Of strategy
refrained from operations against Brit
tany, began a series of operations in
tended to confuse the French as to what
blow was to be expected next. While
the only exception to the armistice was
IN the east the western army continued
its attacks
Cambria had been surrounded. The
Germans. bound by their agreement to
maintain the status quo, suddenly left
that city and marched on Rouen with
one element and suddenly appeared be-
fore Arras with another. Uhlans spurred
their horses to new action and were
round raiding near Valenciennes. Other
divisions made demonstration against
Douai and raiding parties were under
Tho whole NORTH" says the Annual
Encyclopedias, regarded itself as threat
ened."
Acted to Inspire Fear.
The military operations thus under
taken In violation Of the terms of the
armistice were for the purpose Of in
spiring fear among the remaining
French troops and Of making impossible
any organized opposition to the Army
OF the West
The Eastern Army OF the French,
which had been led by Bourbaki, con-
ceived that II, too, was entitled to the
protection OF the armistice, but Favre
had expressly accepted II. and the Ger
man operations in this quarter do not
appear to have been the same sort Of
breach Of faith as had taken place in the
north. Bourbaki. Respondent. had at
tempted suicide. and his successor had
only a disorganized force, in a state of
disorderly rout. January 20, or the day
after the Paris armistice was made. the
Germans attacked this army near Pom
tarlier and took 5000 prisoners and six
pieces Of ordnance with trifiing loss to
themselves.
January 30 and 81 the fishting was
resumed near Pelouse and the French
lost two eagles, nineteen pieces Of ord
oners. The remaining French forces
began swarming over the Swiss frontier.
Up to February 3 there were $4,000
Frenchmen in the commands seeking
refuge in Switzerland, and the total who
took this route was estimated for the
entire movement at $4,000. The French
Army Of the Southeast thus practically
ceased to exist.
Bismarck extended the armistice at
Paris upon its expiration and the final
capitulation and treaty of peace fol-
lowed. 1t was during the time when
these final events in the great war were
. taking place that the Imperial German
Government was born. Bismarck had
Just united the German states with
Prussia, Wilhelm i. was proclaimed
Kaiser and the very birthday OF the
present German Government was cele-
brated while the Army of the West was
planning its terrorizing raids which were
made under an agreement to keep the
peace while terms of final surrender
were being prepared