Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-06

the Great Siberian road corresponds to
the Northern Pacific and the Great
Northern. and the Central Asia railway
to the Union and Central Pacific route.
Already $40 kilometers,' or about $50
miles. have been completed. and about
! 600 miles remain to be built.
Politics Made Trouble.
The greatest difficulty in carrying out
the scheme has been politics. The finan-
oial aspects are clear, but the political
interests at stake are widespread and
complicated.
Five Of the great powers of Europe are
involved in the undertaking. Great Brit
ain acquiesced only upon the condition
that it should be allowed to control that
portion Of the route between Bagdad and
the Persian gulf.
The company is incorporated In Switz-
erfand. The incorporators represent the
nople, which. as have already explained,
is the first link in the line; the Deutsche
Bank of Berlin, the Credit Mobilier of
Paris. the Imperial Ottoman Bank Of
Constantinople. the Weiner Bank Verein
of Vienna, the Banca Commercials Ital-
lana of Milan, the Swiss Creditanstadt
and several British and Belgian interests
The Deutsche Bank of Berlin, through
its brance at Constantinople, has imme-
date management, and by manipulation
has obtained practically absolute control,
so that with the exception OF the unbuilt
but proposed section from Bagdad to
the Persian gulf which may not be con-
structed for years, 1t is practically Ger
man enterprise.
Germany Alone Active.
Although the other powers are involved.
their representatives have taken no active
participation in the work and have simply
h~x, -,
in the articles of Incorporation. and to
encourage their capitalists to invest in the
stocks and bonds With the exception
of the Germans, therefore, the interna-
tional representation which has been in
sisted upon from the beginning by Turkey,
and by the powers also, is merely theoret-
ical.
In case of,war or any aggressive demon
stration on the part Of Turkey, it is like
ly' to assume a practical character. how
ever Therefore, Austria. Italy, and
especially England, are contented to allow
the Germans to do the work so long as
they have a voice in controlling the poll
tics Of the road
While these negotiations were going on
Russia played into the hands of Germany
or Germany played into the hands of
misunderstanding to the point of view
in connection with a treaty which secures
for the car the control of all future
transportation lines that may touch the
ports Of the Black sea. This is an ar
rangement of tremendous possibilities for
Russia.
That government waived all it's
rights and privileges, present and
future. In connection with the Bag
dad railway to the Germans for the
privilege of getting a monopoly of the
Black sea coast. Germany consented to
that arrangement.
Great Britain and Austria. which have
been expected to protect Turkey against
the asgressiveness of its nearest neighbor.
made no protest and did not even suggest
an objection. Indeed, / have been told
that they did not know what was going
on, and do not yet seem TO realize the
Importance and the significance of the
triumph Russia has secured.
Russia Given Advantage.
Russia has already acquired about one
third Of Armenia by conquest, and has
been pushing its southern boundary line
farther and farther into Turkey and
Persia every time there is war. And
now Turkey has given the Russians the
exclusive right to construct railway lines
from the ports of Asia Minor and Ar
menia on the Black sea.
Several short lines will doubtless be
built They will belong to the Russian
government. and the next time an excuse
is offered for hostilities the cars will be
loaded with Russian troops and arms
and ammunition brought across the
black sea from Sevastopol on Russian
ships.