The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-01-15
TERMS OF II
FIT HUNS now
Peace Treaties Of Today Compared
With Bismarek's Terms Of 1871
Radical Changes
$4,000 HOMES ARE DESTROYED
Two Brutal Monarchies Built Up
Largely Of Stolen Territories in
Ashes Of Defeat
BY n. c. EVANS

ON BOARD THE MAGENTIC
WHITE STAR LINE, Dec. 21-eSome
where there is an old print lis it in
the old school history?) of Bismarck
at the conference of Versailles QS7D
He is standing erect at a table
lpointing at map. His jaw is set, his
depression firm. He is debating terms
of peace to France. He is remaking
lthe map of Europe. He is creating
1.-THE German empire. He is endeav.
|oring to make the world safe for au.
Itocracy. The French conferees sit
most part, silent. Whenever one OF
them spoke Bismarck snapped like q
bull dog. The sorrow of Jules Faure,
afterwards president of the French re-
public, excited Bismarcks merriment.
He laughingly accused Faure of paint
ing his face to give himself an appear
ance of profound suffering. When
pity was asked, Bismarck replied that
pity has nothing to do with poll
tics"
Bismarck's Terms
Then he would whistle merry air;
then become violent and hasten the
parley. The German legions were
around him, camped just outside of
Paris. Bismarck was debating terms
to France. They were:
| I. The payment Of one billion
dollars indemnity.
| 2. The ceding Of AIsace-Lor-
raine to Germany.
3. The German army to march
| through Paris.
Already. while the German army
was surrounding Paris, and while the
armistic was on, Bismarck had re-
fused to deal with any officials. He
required general election in France,
and that the newly elected parliament
should establish government and ap-
point conferees. This had been done.
As the French pleaded for better
terms Bismarcks attitude became
more insulting. The first two demands
were finally conceded and the French
lpisaded to. pc spared the erpwning
modification of seeing the victorious
kTeuton army march through Paris.
Bismarck became furious. He strut
ted up and down the room ,smote the
table and exclaimed:
1T Is very good of me to take the
trouble to give you so much time. Our
conditions are ultimatums. You must
take them or leave them. NHenceforth
! shall no longer speak French. will
speak plain German"
When the French endeavored to pro-
long the conference he burst out with:
II see quite well that you have no
nfhor -iIno fhon fhof ~ hao oin mt
the campaign again.,
Forced to Submit
Submission was the only solution.
Everything was agreed upon, and the
French delegates were to return the
following day to attach their sigma
lures. When they returned Bismarck
kept them waiting three hours before
he summoned them. He entered con.
temptuously whistling, his face beam
ing. Having signed he remarked:
"This, gentleman, is the death of the
beast" Three days later the tri-
umphant Germans marched through
the streets of Paris led by a young
lieutenant named Barnhardi. He af-
terwards became the exponent of war,
Of German barbarity. His writings
became textbooks for Germans. He
taught that militarism, that force,
rather than law and love and reason
should dominate mankind. He upheld
monarchy against democracy, and be-
lieved that God Almighty had special
ly selected one man to rule over mill.
ions, excluding the millions from a
voice in their own affairs.
Lieutenant Barnhardi became gen.
eral. He was killed in battle last year
on the fields of Flanders. '. ~.
German Consistency
1t Is we'll to recall this and other
treaties of peace in which Germany
has participated, for she is about to
gather around another peace table.
OF late, only of late, Germany has talk
ed much of mo indemnity and no an
nexation" Note the first two demands
she made in France. She exacted a
billion dollars, more than enough to
pay the costs of the war. She took
Alsace Lorraine, from which she de-
rived annually twenty million tons of
coal and more iron. With what con.
sistency will the German delegates
stand for the proposition Of no indem-
nifty and no annexation.
It will be remembered that there
was no military necessity in the
of German troops into Paris.
The peace treaty had been signed. The
war was over. The French army was
demobilized. It was simply an act
of brutality on the part of the victor
to humiliate the stricken foe. No
generous. gallant victor would have de-
manded 1t. 1t was German through
and through. y S'.s
However, the occupation of the
Rhine by the allied armies is as hui
to Germany as was the occu-
patton Of Paris to the French. If the
French are retrospective in their joy, !
no one will blame them.
Now Whining
Will the allies pattern after Ger
many in the coming peace parliament?
Will Germany find that her bread cast
upon the waters has returned? In
1871 Germany would not discuss terms |
except with her guns aimed at Paris, |
The heart of France; II the French
newspapers were hostile, Paris would
be bombed; no speculation was made