Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-14
WORL DIS PEACE THREATENED
BY GERMAN WAR PARTY

| daries Of thei rcountry In every possible
direction. 1t is obvious that in certain di-
rections extension will be impossible. at
any rate within an unreasonable period OF
time.
On her eastern frontier Germany Is
bounded by the Russian empire, which Of
fers an insurmountable obstacle to extern
sion In the direction of the rising sun. On
the other hand, France offers an insur-
mountable obstacle extending along the
greater part of the western German from
tier and Switzerland, whose neutrality is
guaranteed by the powers. is equally I'M
pregnable to German aggression The neu-
trality of Belgium is likewise guaranteed
by the powers. Germany'S remaining
peighbors are Denmark, Holland and Aus
trIa, and all three of these countries have
serious reasons to fear German aggression
in none too distant future.
Germany has designs on Denmark be-
cause the possession of Denmark means
the command of the entrance to the Baltic
sea- That command would be of incal-
culable value to Germany in the event of a
!, naval war. There is a belief current In
European diplomatic circles that If Ger
many were involved in a war with any
would seize and hold Copenhagen and the
island of Iceland. 1t is, however. by no
means certain-in fact, it is improbable
that Germany will wait until some hypo-
thetical war breaks out before seizng the
entrance to the Baltic set. German i'm
perialists regard the possession of the
northern end of the peninsula, of which
Hostein is the base. by small country
like Denmark an abSurdity which must
be abolished at the earliest possible oppor-
tunity.
At the headquarters of the German army
in Berlin and the headquarters of the Ger
man navy at Kiel there are stored away
in the secret archives complete plans for
the invasion of Denmark by German
army and for the seizure of the principal
points along the Danish coast by the Ger
man navy and the European situation is
so full of far-reaching possibilities that 1t
is impossible to predict when these elab-
crate schemes will be carried into effect. II
the German war party has its own way the
independence of Denmark Will not be OF
long duration.
One of the most serious weaknesses of
Germany is the extreme brevity of the Ger
man coast line in proportion to the area of
the country. For naval purposes this dis
advantage is increased by the fact that the
North sea and the Baltic sea are separated
from one another by a foreign country
which holds the principal means or commu-
nication. The conquest of Denmark Will re-
move this difficulty but even then Germany
will not be In possession of all the means
of access to the open sea she desires.
The coast line from Hamburg to Enden is
far too short for Germanys naval and COM
mercial requirements German imperialists
have long cast envious eyes at Holland,
which at present forms a barrier between
Germany and the North sea, i'll which Ger
mans would like to be predominant Ger
mans regard themselves as the head of the
Germanic race, and hence the natural pro-
tectors of the Danes and the Hollanders
and the proper owners of the countries in
habited by the Danes and the Hollanders
Quite a number of Pan-Germanic writer's
have published books and essays proving,
from their own point of view, that the des-
tination of Holland is to become province
of the German empire, and articles in which
similar views are expressed can be found
in the German newspapers of Pan-Ger-
manic tendencies.
Holland, Then Austria.
In Holland the possibility of future Ger
man aggression is fully recognized, and the
intensely anti-German feeling which pre-
walls among all sections of the Hollander
population is due to the repugnance with
which they contemplate the prospect of
being subjugated by their powerful neigh
bors When the time comes for Germany
ambitious schemes to be carried out the
Holanders will doubtless defend their lib
erty with the bravery which Is character
istic of their race, but their struggle will be
futile. In international politics, as in COM
merce and industry. combination Is the IN
evitable tendency of the future, and. just as
small enterprises are absorbed by rings
and trusts, so will the small countries of
the present day be appropriated and an
nexed by the great powers.
When the right time comes Germany will
take possession of Holland with as little
conjunction as a big commercial concern
has in crushing weaker competitor out of
existence and the acquisition of the Dutch
seaboard, together with the port of Rotter-
DAM will be an immense gain to German
prosperity. From naval and military
point of view the possession OF port such
as Flushing, within 100 miles of the English