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Show jj-i.! - WA DEUATE I. TUE KEICUS- fe-S ' TAG- $ Vibrdav a significant debate af1 ."" occurred in the Gorman Itcichstag v" tv on '""ry WH introduced by the jjf i-I, goverament. For Borne time past V 1 the Ieas dispatches from Germany lve leen unusually free from war- like iritimations, and the absence of $p matter, of that kind from thu news S5 telegraphed from Berlin lias been a SP-g FJifaee indication that, since the JL:f retlreuioBt of Btauarck, lolitical p;K inatlers on the continent have as- m? suBied a more iciSc condition. l"t the debate referred to is calcy- y ' t"1 dispel any belief that a $2 prolonged continuation of (mace can rj& "" r'l upon. Old aud sagacious JjL V011 Jioltke, the greak-t living ex- g poneot of the science of war, in an JK argument sappottlng the bill said: ? "Tbe European situation is altravs rg KTOMiopjnpro -diftloultand R is im- ?r' peratrjotbaGsmiBnj- "sboald have a rongjniliieryytteci. A slrons government gov-ernment alone will be able to main-lain main-lain ace, a there 1 no one who does notheutate to throw tlio match into tbe powder barrel. I believe all' tbe z. powers are peace ally disposed but f security can only be attained by Ger. imny9 own efforts. Of course the mainleoanee of rue anayoa a war fooling demands tho expenditure of 7i "rge amounts of money, but the point tj 'o be considered w this: II we econo- 3 wbaJiiour war expenditures the most "5 briUiaot finxoccal cnjaUcn m may f be able (i create ll not OnVtiro' tho f5 exelosion of oar enemies from tho 4 fatherland." ;.g On auotheriilia'e f the subject t-jjjpf ,le Ba!J: rlpP "The days of war1 waged bycabi- " nets are past The elements that now j threaten jieaee are found among the f ;- people of the classes less favored by J fortune. Abroad, Iheso dangerous v oleotents are producing, every where, diteoalent, aal thy mi; at .any J moment'preeipia'e war even against ,3 Ihowillof tho gocrnmanL For a government not to be strong enough I to oppose the passions of tho people i and tho endeat ors of parties, consti- 7l tutes a permanent uaDger of war. '1 When tbo war that, for tbe past de- cade, has hunghko DemcdeV sword 1 over our heads, at last bicaks out. Its J duration no bua will b3,a!i tofore- 1 1 noa, It might be a seven years war. HMHMaaaaMaaMBaa lorovenathlriy years' war. Woe to Mm who sets it in motion." These words from such a man as Von Moltke, conceded' to 1 one of the greatest military strategists of any age, liave a deep significance. It is true that cabinets have ceased to inaugurate war. Had this not been so, the strains to which the relations re-lations of different countries of Europe Eu-rope with each other have been subjected sub-jected during tlielastfewyearsjcould not have been endured without war. So perfect has European diplomacy become that, In tU6faco of causes imminently provocative of a conflagration, confla-gration, it has been, for many years pas, table to bring influences and oil. sets to bear in the proper quarters, which have had the effect to prevent open ruptures. Tbe danger which threatens Europe Eu-rope today is not that .sonie ambl tious potentate or minister, or some" scheming cabinet, will precipitate a war. The peril iu tho face of w hich crown-wearers nrelrcmbling, is tho most appalliug that can menace any government. It consists in the disposition, dis-position, not to saydetermluatlon,of the people to rise with one accord and suddenly relcgnbi to tho domain of tbe past, existing social and politf leal stilus. Vou Moltke knows that the fear of or reverence for Uie army has been the security of thrones In all ages, and the only means which even his sagacity can suggest, to keep the people down and thu ruling classes here they are, is to put as man' of Uie former in tbo army as possible. Thu moral ellect of military mili-tary discipline on the recruits will strongly tend to Impress them with the necessity of maintaining law and order, and tD counteract socialistic social-istic ideas aud Influences. This policy will make the army so much the .stronger, and consequently more awe-inspiring. Again, the masses will feel more reluctant to preclpl-tatea preclpl-tatea conflict between tlitmsthes and tlio soIdieryjWhlch will embrace bo many of their fathers, brothers and eons. Tho last three sentences quoted from Van Jloltko read like a dismal prophecy, the fulfilment ofw hich is assumed to bo sure aud near. lie seems to regard as inevitable the breaking out of a war, under conditions condi-tions whieh insure its long continuance contin-uance andswueplngdestructlveness; hut how long It will last, or how near it wjll come to consuming Euroj1, he is entirely unable to surmiiv, so citensivo will it be, according ac-cording to the signs of the times as lie reads them. The fulfilment of the predictions by Joseph the Seer, uttered ty inspiration, iu relation to modern wars, can now be plainly foreseen, as Uie time for verificaUon apprcachci. |
