The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-12-18

fled, centralized. He increased the
Prussian army from $50 men to $4,000.
With this example before him, Fred |
erick William founded bureaucracy. |
He was the "Sergeant-King," severe
and methodical, STEPPED in army regu-
lations, providing, in his actions, a
daily lesson to his son-who was to
become the Great Frederick. The IA
Their himself laid down the principles
which were to guide the steps of that
son. DIT is necessary" he said, "to
instiII into my son the idea that moth
ing in the world can shed glory upon
a prince as can the sword; he would
be a despised creature were he not to
love the sword, were he not to seek,
in it and for it, the only glory"
Frederick ii profited from these
lessons. He kept on sharpening that
formidable sword. He increased the
army to 100000 men In order to
make possible recruiting on the i'm
mense scale eQuired-immense for
that time and taking into considers
ton the poverty OF the country-he
modified everything, sucked up all
the strength of the land, drained the
springs of life by summoning to his
aid the springs of commerce, indus
try and agriculture. OF high mental
endowment, moved by deplorable in
stincts, he has left on record his view
of how peoples are to be led.
He created the murderous principle
which was to destroy human liberty.
In his eyes, force and the greatness
Of the State were the supreme goal
Of the State. "Interest Justlfies every
thing-knavery, lying, breaking of
sworn faith?" he wrote as far back as
3746. "When a ruler sees, In treaty,
. danger for his people, 1t Is his duty
70 violate that treaty-reqretfully but
without hesitation"
Building the Machine State
Frederick II illustrated all these
dheories by his own example. His in
Btructions to his ENJOYS at the court
of France and the court of England
are masterpieces of dupIcity. This
man who, in his youth, had written
the Anti-Machiavelli, In which he set
up principles against robbery, brig
andage and other criminal acts. was
destined to take part, toward the end
of his life, In the odious partition of
Poland. Under Frederick III the Prus-
sian State became the prototype of
the Machine-State, in which the prin-
eiple of the State Is the essential
part.
But a policy of such concentration,
under a regime of absolutism dis
guised as enlightened despotism, re
duires a strong hand Hence, when
Frederick III died the springs began to
give way. Prussia stopped short in
her forward march. War was still the
national industry of Prussia, to be
sure, as Mirabeau said, but German
union was not to be brought about
until later.
These, then, are the three men who
founded the empire.
! Three heirs succeeded them. Either
on account of the contrast between
them and their predecessors or Of
their own weakness, these heirs are
pale in comparison; and, IN so far as
they are concerned, history may well
content itself with naming them
The first of them, Frederick VII
helm II, neutrality-suspicious. o.
William II, was soldier always ready
TO advance, yet who, nevertheless, did
not put through what he began Al
opponent of the French Revolution, HI
went as far as Valmy, but made haste
to turn about before the troops of tn
Republic.
His son, Frederick William III, un
decided and changeable, did not max,
himself conspicuous by his energy eS
cept after the battle of Jena, wheI
events and the cooperation of zeaIou
ministers helped him in the restora
ton of his country.
As for Frederick William ", he wa
incompetent and inert Though in fa
vor of the unity of Germany he lie
the opportunity for achieving it es
cape when it presented itself Thi
monarch, stricken like his grandfatf
er, by stroke of apoplexy. died 500
after his faculties impaired
Fate Favored William |
Then it was, in 1856, that his brotl
er, William, so years of age, becam
Regent while waiting to ascend to tn
throne, which he did in 1861. He
was who was at last to provide a
outlet for the aspirations of German
toward unity. Fate, which, throug
three successive reigns, had refuse
TO show favor to Germany, now III
derwent a change. A powerful an
formidable man, of strong Intelligent
and unfathomable conscience, subt
and brutal, patient and tmpetuou
contemptuous alike of kings, me-
facts, justice and truth, sort of mo
ster of intelligence unclaimed
roam through the forest Of the huma
-Bismarck-now appears upc
the scene. Was he the creator
Germany's welfare? Yes-in the eye
of those who have not looked as f;
as 1914.
1t was at the outset of the regenC
of Prince William, on the 9th
January, 1859, that Frederick Villa
Victor Albert HehenzoIlern, futul
emperor of war, was born at Berli
On his mothers side he was Of En-
1ish blood, but he does not appear
have inherited its coldness nor Il
humorous turn of the British min
His mother. Victoria, was royal pri
cess of Britain, daughter of Que,
Victoria and Prince Albert. His I
Their was the royal prince of Prussi