Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-07

on the frontier Tor a province over seas
Germany's imperial instinct is. after all,
Roman in extent. The German emperor.
as the successor
Imperial Instinct of the German
Roman in Extent. phantom - HOW
Roman empire, would rule over that
world which was subject to the great
Caesar of the real, but not holy, Roman
empire. The kaiser's arbitrary and eff
feotive interference with the plans OF
France in Morocco, his. insistence upon
debating affairs in the Balkans, his spec
tacular performances in Palestine, his
skillful DETECTION Of Russian interest
from the near east to the far east-all
these things are indicative Of desire to
make German influence supreme in the.
territory which once was Rome.
The German publicist may say that it is
the German desire to restore Gibraltar to
the Spanish, Malta to the Italians. Cyp-
rus to the Turks. the Suez canal to the
Egyptians, and thus to end the British
rule OF the great Mediterranean sea,
upon the shores of which England has no
territory. But men will continue to be-
lieve, in spite of such professions, that
Germany desires to destroy British rule
in the Mediterranean not for the benefit
of Spain, Italy, Turkey and Egypt, but
for the glory and ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Ger
many, which would take England's place
as the successor of maritime Rome.
The imperial instinct guides Germany
surely in the imperial path when it
uses the power of the great German
military establishment to force Russia
and all Europe to consent to violation
of plain treaty obligations on the part of
Austria. Austria gained territory, but
Germany kept open the way to the near
cost through Saloniki. 1t was Bismarck
who ehoked imperial France to death.
and thereby gave the sly and watchful
Disraeli the opportunity TO seize the SueZ
canal for Britain, but that fact does not
serve to allay the present irritation of
Germany. Britain will hold the canal
and will stay in Egypt. right or wrong,
until a stronger power Is able to GUST
it.
But Germany is building the Bagdad
railway, and before many years have gone
will possess railway route to the very
borders of India. which will form more
direct connection with the heart of Asia
than either the long Russian railway or
the long British sea route. What will come
Of the German-Arabian railway develop
ment no man may predict, but the teSti-
mony of all history is that transporta-
ton spells empire.
1t may be that German science and
German skill will restore to the world
the ancient fertility of Mesopotamia and
there find room for growth without in
terfering with the development of any
other country.
1t may be that the German imperial in
stinct yet will add to itself colonial ge-
MUS, and that the German possessions In
Africa may amount to something. But
whether in Morocco, or Arabia, or Meso-
potamia, or nearer at home in Holland
and Belgium, every German imperialist
finds every pathway guarded by the Brit
ish lion. In the new world the other An
glo-SaXon nation stands guard. not alone
over its own territory. but also as the
jealous protector of a score Of weaker
Latin states. The interests of imperial
Germany clash with the interests of inn
perial Anglo xondom, and at any time
may come into conflict with the republican
half of the Anglo-SaXon world.
More than hundred years ago Prussia
began to teach the more peaceful south
ern Germans the doctrine that only the
sword is an effective implement in en-
pire building BY 1871 that lesson was
thoroughly learned. Germany is the Ger
many of today by virtue Of blood and
iron. The Germans have made their way
to national union and security by force
of arms. The imperial instinct controls
every German breast, and the German,
knowing the sword and its uses, may
make way for imperial expansion in
spite of all existing barriers.