The Detroit times., 1914-12-02
So Sure of Winning Is Russia
That Constantinople She
Now Calls ''Tsargrad'
AFGHAN ARMIES STARTED
WITHIN THE WEEK
Word Service to England, In
trigue Behind Her Back,
Mark Muscovite Diplomacy

war perilous undercurrent Is
struck beneath the ships OF state oil
England and Russia, sailing ostensioiy
side by side in the calm waters OF
& friendship and alliance, an undercur-
J rent which will ebb and flow with the
swift force gathered through one hun
y dred and fifty years of opposing inter
\ ests vital each TO its own plans Oh
expaL sion.
The undertow of a mighty river
changeth not, and among the great
nations the undertow OF the stream
Z OF aspiration in expansion changeth
not, the sublime passion OF the crear
tors OF its first power stamping their
purpose upon the nations ambition
with enduring vitality.
Russia -oficially-outraged at
q Turkeys entrance into the war, the
ally OF the two kaisers, at time
when the cars own allies, England
and France, are not free TO come TO
mis- assistance with the full quota or
their reinforcements, and he must
punish Turkey by himself There are,
ihoweyer. members of the Turkish
tgpvernment who profess TO be
equally outraged at Russia, inumat-
ing that Russian brides accepted by
renegade Turkish officers brought
about the overt acts OF hostility, the
bombardment of Odessa without warn
fra and the attack upon the Russian
coast OF the Black Sea, which forced
the declaration OF war.
The czars government. IL outraged,
Z was prepared up 10 the last detail.
even regarding instructions to the
Press Bureau for this latest move In
the war game, so advantageous TO her
ambitions. In less than a week the
newspapers throughout the vast en-
pire had learned that Constantinople
had disappeared from the Russian
map, that "Tsargrad" had taken its
place. The suspicion of the bribery
of Turkish officers by Russia can be
borne with serenity now that Russia
has the coveted chance to strike once
more for the possession OF CONSTANT
nople, the objective point OF her ex-
pansion since Peter the Great made
the semi-barbarous state into a great
nation.
Ascending the throne when he was
but II, an uncouth giant In appearance
and q cruel savage at heart, securing
autocraey by the imprisonment Of his
mother and the torture OF his brother,
he found Russia small congregation
Of Asiatic tribes almost cut on from
the civilized world, with only the one
seaport Archangel on the White Sea.
which was sealed by ice against navi-
CATION during the greater part OF the
year; and he left Russia an empire.
with ports on the Baltic, the Caspian
and the Black Sea, pushing out with
unflagging persistency into Asia. The
full realization of his dream, far
stretching empire balanced between
Europe and Asia, with Constantinople.
the capital OF the Caesars for eleven
hundred years. as the copital of Rus
sia, he left to his successors, with this
Injunction:
Keep In mind that the commerce
OF Inoia is the commerce OF the
world, and that he who can exclusive
ly control II Is the dictator Of Eu.
rope"
The authenticity OF Peter the
Greats political testament addressed
TO the occupants OF his throne has
lbeen questioned. But there can be no
question that the plans he formulated
are the plans today OF Nicholas H.,
his ministry, his army and navy. The
! Russians have followed these plans
for 500 years with Peter the Greats
tbarbarous spirit and cruel methods,
innbaffled by temporary defeats, re-
Turning anew TO the attack without
deviation from the main point OF
achievement, the occupation OF Con-
stantinople as the center Of an east
ward advancing empire toward India.
Catherine the Great turned aside TO
accept from Frederick the Great OF
Prussia her share OF Poland. the
door mat upon which she could step
into Europe" But she did not forget
TO seize the Crimea from Turkey, to
name one OF her grandsons Constan-
tine, nor with Haunting arrogance to
set up In Moscow a gate called ION
the Way to Constantinople" and an
other at the mouth OF the Dnieper
"Opening Toward Constantinople"
England has been steadily for 400
5 years pursuing the imperial policy OF
I the Elizabethan statesmen, Cecil.
Raleigh, Bacon and Walsingham. who
lifted their country from its island
obscurity TO a position OF command
, Ing worldwide influence. The win
nation to run was gained when Dis
raeli proclaimed Queen Victoria EN-.
press OF India In 1876, plucking the
fruit OF the tree planted In 1900 by
Elizabeth when she chartered the
East India company. In between is
the history of England's bitter rivalry
with Spain and England's victorious
onward march over her enemy's pros
trate form, never again to rise in its
full stature OF former glory.
The eighteenth century is no less
the history OF England's herculean
struggle with France and her In
creased Importance and power at the
cost os France, with Canada wrested
from the weakened enemy and the
death blow inflicted upon her imperial
ambition at Waterloo one hundred
years ago These are stories finished
10 the concluding chapter Spain Is
not sought az an ally by either side In
the war OF 1914, having so little TO
give. France, which In the eighteenth
century under Napoleon T. was the
conquefor OF Europe, and could only
be conquered because all OF Europe
toined with England against her
France today braves war with Ger
+ many because, In addition TO Russia.
Great Britain IL supporting her The
republic accepts with gratitude the
alliance which Delcasse made so hum
bly, with FranceS one-time rival, now
40 INFINITELY her superior.
The twentieth century will mark
the history OF the struggle between
Great Britain and GERMANY for an :