Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-11
THE RUSSIAN MENACE
How the Muscovite Threatens
Modern Civilization.
A WORLD IssU
ENGLAND MUST RESIST RussIA's
ADVANCE OR LOSE INDIA.
Present Complications Bearing on the
Impending Conflict in the
Far East.


has mostly been by purchase. Even her
recent acquisitions. although lawful COM
pensations for an altruistic war were not
accepted from destiny without a large cash
payment. A large part of the British en-
pire was acquired by resistance to actual
provocations and warfare on the part OF
neighboring peoples. Bombay, her first east
ern acquisition, came as the dowry of kath-
crime of Braganza. The earlier grown
of Russia proceeded according to the
method of the time, and is not. there
fore, open to criticism; but since the
beginning of the nineteenth century holy
Russia's scheme for advance has been
solely one Of ambition. devoid OF even the
attempt to recognize the existence of ethics
beyond the claim to superior holiness. and
at last she has hoodwinked or hypnotized
the nations so enmeshed them under
her influence by her sleepless intr1gues that
unless Christendom arouses itself to action
she will have the whole of Asia and dare
America to hold fast to her claims Tor a
share OF the markets of Asia Ana yet
there is nothing to Russias diplomacy but
a consummate genius for perfidy. once let
this fact become generally understood
and the spell would be broken ana haii her
influence would vanish.
Russia's Tortuous Policy.
The present difficulty between Russia and
Japan results entirely from the tortuous
policy of the former, the latter having JUS
tice entirely on her side. At the close or
the hino-Japanese war the latter was en-
titled to select compromising damages, pre-
sumably territory near her own frontiers
But then Russia forced Japan to abandon
all claims to part of the Aslatic conti-
nent. Germany, for reasons OF hef own,
sided with Russia while England. singu-
larry short-sighted, cravenly. declined to
interfere. Then Russia, with treachery
only eauaied in modern times by her own
unparalleled record of fnfamy, seized the
territory which was rightfully claimed by
Japan. Having gridironed this acquisition
with military railways, covered 1t with
troops and closed it's ports, Russia proposes
now to absorb both China and Japan. Her
perpetual plea, given to the world almost
plaintively, is that she is aSerse to war;
thus suggesting that Japan Is the one who
is making the trouble. certain plausible
ity is given to this plea by the humorous
fact that the car established The Hague
tribunal out Of deep yearning for peace.
Does Russia propose to use this court? Not
Shei 1t was devised simply to throw dust
into the eyes of world gone in senile SIM
plicity. AS for the treasure and blood which
Russia claims as a prominent reason why
she cannot now abandon Manchuria. the
outlay of treasure may be admitted but as
to the blood. all that has been shed consists
of the blood of innocent Chinese For ex-
ample the entire population of Blago-
veshtchensk, to the number of II 000 was
deliberately taken down to the river and
tween two suns. !
3. Great Britain's Stake.
Next to China and Japan. Great Britain
has great stake in this conflict, whether
it occurs now or later. for Russia's pur-
poses, though postponed. will never be
abandoned until great internal commissions
occur that give her sufficient to attend to at
home.
England affords remarkable example of
the working Of the maxim uttered by Per-
icleS, and often proclaimed at subsequent
periods, that those who command the sea
may also become masters by land" cir
cumscribed, insular power. the genius of her
people was shaped by Its environment She
was forced to become a naval power 1t
was the sailors whomDrake, Howard Blake
Arson, Hawkes., Hood. Hughes and Nelson
led to victory, who enabled Britain to plant
her flag on distant isles and continents, and
conveyed the merchant fleets and the trans
ports which carried the troops who safe
guarded her cOnQucsts.
But If Athens. Carthage. Rome or Britain
became great because of their power on the
sea, and IL we. by the exercise of a wise
foresight under the guiding of destiny, ex-
tend scope for our markets by maintaining
the share Of the mastery Of the sea which
our vast ittoral demands, 1t does not fol-
low that all nations grow or maintain their
power that way. The Athenian republic
went down before the Macedonians pressing
from the north. The Roman empire might
nave continued for ages more but for the
barbarians from the north and the Mo-
hammedan hosts from the south.
Sea Power May Not Avail.
The turn of Great Britain Is now ap-
preaching, when her sea power may fail
to avail in holding a large portion of her
conquests and markets. She may lose In
dia by the pressure Of northern hordes The
cloud rising In the north has reached om.-
nous proportions. The ingenious Anglo
Saxon mind and the open, dilatory policy
OF popular government are poorly match
ed against the craft and persistence OF
Muscovite absolut.sm, aided by moving
along inside lines while England's popula-
ton. under the present system of recruiting
Is UNEQUAL to furnishing armies sufficient to
control more than 50O00,O0O dis affected
Asiatfc subjects In face of Russian legions
on the borders.
Then. too, England's interests are IN
varied and scattered that her attention has
been diverted. while that of Russia has
been concentrated.
The government of the East Tndias h,,
England is perhaps the most amazing ex-
ample of administrative ability In history
conducted generally with consummate wis
dom and intrepidity That a small nation
over ten thousand miles away, and com
municating with it's colonies by sea alone.
should keep in reasonable order two hun
dred and sixty millions OF people OF fine
minds and Of alien race. cult and custom,
there. is astounding. The partial loss of
political liberty to the East Indians has
been compensated by enlightening infiu-
ences and the higher dignity and freedom
bestowed on the individual. That, in spite
Of these facts. there exists an Indoubted
undercurrent of discomfort. Is no more than
could be expected under any circumstances.
A Cloud in the North.
In time this discomfort might pass away
but for the ominous cloud in the north.
This cloud. no larger than a mans hand a
century ago. is now SO near that the time
has come to estimate the strength OF Eng
lands preparation to meet the storm Here
Is region populous like no other save
China, well governed, and to outward ap-
pearances tranquil. What are the facts?
Although of sincere ana unsuspecting ma
ture, as nations 60 the English have had
the designs of Russia FORCED upon their
attention SO unmfstakapIy that they have
gradually made some provision to meet
the ambition of that power. such as sta
tioning 10000 troops at the Cape to be
thrown into India at short notice. The
protectorate over Egypt was also requisite
In order to control the nearest route to In
dia by Suakim as well MS Suez But Eng