PRINCE BISMARCK'S FOREIGN POLICY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 246, 16 October 1891, Page 4

PRINCE BISMARCK'S FOREIGN POLICY.

A pamphlet whioh has just been published in Berlin is makeing considerable stir inthepoliticalworld. It is by an anonymous writer and is entitled " The End of Prince Bismarck in Foreign Politics." It iB apparently the production of a person to . whom valuable State document} are acce^ible, and who has relations with the present Government. In a preface the author states that the prinoipal motive for publ'shing the brochure is to prevent a too ready support being given to the Prince's recent hostile attitude to Austria, but showing the numerous mistakes which he has made on vrrious occasions THE CAMPAIGN OP 1866. After claiming for the army the merit of oreating and solidifying the German empire, the pamphlet proceeds to give an historical review of Prince Bismarck's foreign polioy since 1862. It is maintained that the Prince did ia no single instanoe have large statesmanlike alms in view, but lived from hand to mouth, showing, indeed, great addresa and readiness to avail himself of circumstances, but betraying an. utter lack of high-minded purpose. During the so-called " period of oonfliot" in 1862, it is asserted, the prince wantonly and needlessly courted and carried on parliamentary conflicts whioh increased instead of smoothing over the difficulties of 1866. Had the " Landtag " been informed of the foreign polioy of the prince and of his relations to Austria, a war might have been avoided. The war of 1866 was won by the needle-gun and Moltke. That Germany was not attacked in her rear by France was solely due to the unpreparedness of that country. It is erroneously supposed that the war of 1866 was undertaken by Prince Bismarck with a prophetic view to the unification of Germany ; but proofs are adduced to show that Prince Bismarck, before the outbreak of the war, entered into " pourparlers " with Austria, in which he proposed a dualistic systemSouthern Germany to be under Austrian patronage, Northern Germany under that of Prussia. THE FRANCO-GERMAN WAR. It is also urged that a grevious mistake was committed in allowing Luxemburg to slip out of Germany's fingers. That was the opportunity for the inevitable war with France. In 1870 France had had three years to prepare, and she would have been more easily beaten in 1867. The writer asserts that in 1867 the general staff with the con« sent of the Crown Prince, recommended the instant declaration of war. He asserts ' further, that after the Luxenburg incident the Crown Prince had a consultation with the King and Herr von Gruener, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with reference to the seleotion of a successor to Count Bismark. The manner in whioh Bismark sucoeeded in frustrating this conspiracy a_ainßt him, the pampleteer says, ie a chapter in the secret history of Prussia which will yet have to be published. It ia then pointed out that in 1870 Germany very narrowly escaped the formation of a triple alliance of Austria, Italy, and France, The refusal of France to evacuate Rome was the only obstacle in the way. Prince Bis* mark, with his usual address, lost no time in forcing France into a war. But even here nothing was further from Bismark s thought than the unification of Germany. That crowning glory will ever remain the merit of Crown Prinoe Frederick, GEBHANX AND BUSSIA, i la 1875 Bismarck inourred the censure of the Emperor of Russia and Prinoe Gortohakoff, on aooount of his threatening attitude to France and the Frenoh Cleiioal party, where" by the allianoe of the three Emperors waß shaken. But in 1878 he praotioally broke entirely with Russia by his Reiohatag speeoh on tbe 19th February on the eastern question, wherein he gave Great Britain and Auatria to understand that they neej not fear war if they resißted Russia. Had Prinee Bismarck maintained an attitude ot reserve he would nave rendered Russia signal servioe. In 1879 Count Moltke strongly advised a deolaration of the inevitable war with Russia at a time when Rusßia was weak, Instead of that | Prince Bismarck chose to give Russia time to prepare, as he had done in the oase of Frauoe, j and sought the doubtful alliance oi Austria, ' whioh he eventually extended into a Triple j Alliacoe by securing the adhesion of Italy. The latest attitude of Prince Bismarck is one j of benevolence to Russia. He is counselling a rupture with Austria. This, the writer of the pamphlet argues, would drive Austria . into the arms of France or Russia, and Ger- j many would then have a Triple Allianoe to face.