Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-08
German War Attitude Cited
To Clear France of Charges

To the Eiitor of The Star:
When I read the reply to my for
mer article in The Star, relating to
prompt payment Of reparation, ! did
not intend to make any response
thereto. The lady who wrote this
reply evidently has had access to
authorities which are quite different
from those that I have had oppor-
tunity to consult. The increasing
threats of the renewal of war in
Europe lead me to believe that an
answer to the accusations made
against France by the writer referred
to should be published. 1t appears to
me that there is an organized propa-
ganda at the present time, both in
England and the United States, in
tended to support the Germans in
their attitude respecting the nom
payment OF reparations. I beg per-
mission, therefore, to present some
historic facts which it seems to me
will serve to show that the criticism
of my former paper was unwarranted.
Any one who reads the memoirs OF
Prince Bismarck, which have now
been DeautlIUlly translated INTO Cnk
lish, will find that Immediately on the
conclusion of the successful campaign
against Austria, which secured for
Prussia the hegemony of the German
states, he began to plan for war
this Illuminating biography will show
Il did not doubt that a Franco
German war must take place before
the constitution of the united Ger
10 of
that time Gs66) preoccupied with the
idea of delaying the outbreak of this
war until our fighting strength
should be increased by the Prussian
military legislation. This aim of
reached in 1867. Each years post
ponement of the war would add 100,-
600 trained soldiers to our army. 1
felt the urgent necessity OF letting
other countries see no trace OF actual
or prospective obstacles consequent
on our internal condition. I wished
to offer them the spectacle of united
national sentiment. and the more so
as it was impossible to judge what
allies France would have on her side
in war against u.s..
Ruthlessness of Bismarck.
To show that Bismarck was wholly
insensible to any sense Of right or
ing quotation will suffice:
'Tn a war Of this sort, when 1t be-
comes a matter Of life and death, one
does not look at the weapons one
seizes, nor the value of what one de-
stroys in using, them; one is guided at
the moment by no other thought than
the issue Of the war and the pres
ervation of ones external independ-
ence. The settling of affairs and
reparation of the damage have to
take place after the peace"
In this connection the Germans are
now evidently taking a dose OF Bis
marck's remedy, and 1t is remark
ably bitter pill to them, but they have
the authority of their own statesman
to justify what the allies have de-
manded The Germans are seeking in
every possible way to place the in
itiation of the world war on other ma
tions. particularly on Russia, Franco
and England. With the same idea in
view, Bismarck so manipulated the
beginning of the war which he had SO
long planned against France as to
make 1t appear, at least as far as the
declaration of war was concerned in
1870. that France was the aggressor.
He was looking for cause Of war.
He thought he had found one when
the Spanish authorities elected a Ho-
henzouerp prince as King of Spain.