Evening star., 1905-10-07
has kept bottled up behind the Dardanellss

has kept bottled up behind the Dardaneliss
SO long.
Then we may have the curious spectacle
OF the worid-fght for the Pacific breaking
out In that same sancient@coFner of the
Mediterranean where the trade wars of all
the world began ia-the dim past OF history
Russia. forced by her defeat in the east
TO strive again more seduiously than she
has striven In generations for an opening
into the western oceans. may not wait for
Germany to threaten her Never was there
Russian defeat IN war or diplomacy
however complete. that made her cease
her plotting and striving for a moment
She must get to the sea, II not through
the east. then through the west Her way
through the Baltic Is blocked at present:
but the dissolution of Norway and Sweden
has opened a typical opportunity for this
peculiar statecraft to the Muscovite.
Unknown Strategical Points
Now, there are two spots that are hardly
known even by name 10 any except navi-
gators and statesmen. One is an island,
Gothland in the middle OF the Baltic sea.
1t belongs to Sweden, and Is known as
''the Eye of the Baltic" among naval men,
At present 1t Is Swedish stronghold heavf.
~ fortified. 1t is directly in the way OF
Russian ships endeavoring to win to the
Atiant,c ocean out of the Gulf OF Finland.
where Russia's naval base Of Kronstadt Is.
ine other spot Is far north in Norway,
a nttie place called Narvik. on Ofoten
Ford Far-seeing politicians of Europe
say already that Russias way will lead her
overland across the northern part of Nor
way to Narvik. The reason is that Mar
vik, far north though 1t be, is an ice-free
port. and an ice-free port is almost q life
need OF Russia now.
So 1t is that the next war may begin over
TWO almost unknown places. tens OF thou
sands of miles away from the real prize.
But Russia has by no means ceased to
play for an eastern road to the Indian
ocean. Overshadowed by the giant events
IN Manchurla and the Yellow sea, there
have been important happenings In the
west OF Asia.
Even while she was in the grip OF the
Jap. Russia advanced her great railway
from Orenburg. in the central western part
OF her European empire, that is to lead
across Turkestan south to Merv. thence
east to Samarcand, and north again TO
Tashkend.
Almost unknown places are these to.the
majority or persons But Merv is the CEN
ter for the caravan routes from Persia
Afghanistan and Bokhara 1t Is the KEY
TO what is In itself the trade of an empire.
Samarcand is another ancient center OF
Asiatic life. with $4,000 people. while Tasn-
kend Is the capital of the government OF
Turkestan. and has $4,000 people In It.
Near England's Gate.
Most important of all, the road crosses
the Oxus. so jealously watched by Eng
land, and taps England's sacred country OF
empire.
Not for nothing does Kitchener the Silent
SIT up in the north of England's jeweled
possession. Not for nothing has he made
that north the place for the army. What
the world did not learn, when its attention
was on the Manchurian stage he learned
That last April, at the very time when the
fated Baltic fleet made its tragic way past
Singapore to meet Its doom, Russian mill
tary expedition appeared in the Khanate
OF Bokhara and occupied it, including all
the principal ports on the Oxus river. ST.
multaneousiy the occupation of the eastern
Chinese province of Kashgar was reported
A few weeks after that British mission
from indian appeared at Kabul, in Afghan
lstan. to rectify trade arrangements"
That is how Russia, manned and bleeding
In Manchuria, "weakens'' IN her ancient
policy.
So the great game stands thus: Three
great corrupt governments-Russia. China,
Iurkey-face to face with struggle for ex-
istence: government of fresh blood and
clean blood. Germany. dreaming an eagle
dream of new Caesarian dominion: and the
gravest of all. England, challenged on ev-
cry hand by young and old nations alike,
juggling her line of defense impotently and
dickering with her Australian colonies to
see If they cannot build and support
navy of their own, while her statesmen
discuss tariffs and economics.
Americas Great Struggle.
And America? ggfctr,, ,,rs 7.
to the Pacific. She has 1t by land and sea.
She blocks no nations way and none blocks
hers. There is no shadow of war over
her. unless she be drawn into one
But America has her commercial war tor
the trade of China ahead of her, and IL
will be savage one. Can the products OF
her high-salaried brains and labor compete
With the products of the Japanese low
priced brains and labor? Can her white
men compete in Asiatic China with the
Asiatic Jap?
Already the Chinese boycott of American
goods shows that the war is on. The Chi
naman will prefer the Jap, even though
he have to buy American goods through
him. If the Americans find that the Japa-
nese open door is indeed a stage door,
leading nowhere, our war fer the Pacific
will shake the United States politically and
commercially, and we will pay a heavy
price for the fght-as heavy, in all except
blood, If we had to fight for our share
of the orient with our cannon.