The Washington times., 1905-05-10
Partners for the Dance.

TO understand diplomacy one must
be sversed In the intrieaeies of polite
and elegant lying: to appreciate the
reasons for and the ultimate ends of
war the philosopher must strip cfvili-
zation of its beautiful robe of hypoc-
risy and cut deep into the sinew and
bone OF racial needs. What diplomacy
aeeomplishes with the gioYed hand
and the jeweled stiletto, war does
with its mailed fist and dripping bat
tle-axJ In the end, however, the OBJ
1eets sought are the same-land-room
for vigorous and reproductive race,
trade-room for a, commercial race, and
loot, booty, tribute as the prize of sue
cess. These truths are the warp and
woof of history; they are. weaving at
present, and in their interplay looms
the future The beautiful tales of
gailantTy and valor, the outward
poTnp and circumstance of war. the
magnifieenee of kings and esnperors
are merely the figured pile upon this
sordid cloth
Wherever time has worn away the
surface Of the past there lie exposed
these reasons for great wars and
racial movements: if we could see
below the lying hypocrisy of the pres
ent the same insistent facts would
meet our view; if we would grope
ahead into the future there are no
clues but these.
The war between Russia and Japan
IS fierce in proportion to the land and
trade hunger of their vigorous races.
The prize is the wealth of the Orient.
and while they fight the other dogs
OF war are soldering for a portion of
the prize and snarling and swapping
at each other in their jealousy.
To name the nations of Europe is
TO call the roll of industrial over
productiVeness and commercial greed.
Treaties are but ropes OF sand and
ancient hatreds cannot resist present
needs. 1t matters not that Russia
and France are joined by treaty; it
is Of moment that France holds Rus
sian securities. The alliance between
England and Japan is important, but
not, perhaps. essential; the real tie is
England's far-fiung battle line and
Japan's need Of money England and
Germany are trade rivals, they touch
at many points, and everywhere they
touch they raise sores. France and
Germany are ancient enemies and.
as formerly, SO now, it is trade and
race expansion that push them to-
ward the apparently inevitable war.
The war in the East has disturbed the
static condition OF these peoples.
charged as they are with the high
potentials OF saYagery and hate. The
man who controls the switchboard Of
destiny is William. King of Prussia
and Emperor of Germany, and his
hand, now trembling with the eager
excitement of his position, will move
as soon as the commercial interests
OF Germany send the order along his
nerves. What the combination must
be, who Will be partners in this dance
Of death, depends upon the interplay
OF national greed and racial hunger.
Ii 1t were possible fully to eorrelate
the forces Of attraction and repuision
the main outlines of the outcome
could be written as well now as in
the future. One thing is clear, upon
William of Germany rest the duty
and the responsibility of the hour.
He must answer before the Almighty
in whom he trusts for his actions in
this world crisis. His name will go
down to future ages as one of the
greatest benefactors Of mankind in
preserving peace, or as the malefactor
who precipitated the most terrible
bloodshed Of all time