The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-09
The Place in the Sun.

The Place in the Sun.
The various socialist demonstrations
against war, whatever their party, hui
manitarian or sentimental interest. are,
like all efforts or hopes for what IN
called peace" founded upon an essen
tial misrepresentation 1t is not cynical
but the unhappy truth to say that peace
10 Itself war; in the present developed
or oyerdevelOpcd industrial system an
economic war Is waged among the ma
tons all the rime The markets of the
world are the prize. And there Is no
discharge in that war. The intensified
ton of energy In Germany since 1870, the
growth of great cities. the application
by the alert trained scientific German
genius TO chemistry, all the mechanic
arts, agriculture and manufactures.
the marvellous utilization of by-prod.
ucts. the ardor of new nation with
nm ancient culture and instinct with
strong national consciousness, have in
creased the resources and wealth Of tho
empire marvellously. Its industrial
umph compared with which Sedan was
a failure.
The deep causes of dislike or hostility
between Great Britain aud Germany
are economic, as everybody knows. SO
long as Germany was divided. with hut
one powerful kingdom in it's borders,
the two countries were friendly, and a
German dynasty has been seated on the
English throne for two centuries. Sud
denly the sceptre of the seas and the
first place in the commerce Of the world
were striven for by the Germans. and
with n competence, Il holiness and n
success that irritatei. that at one time
seemed to friChten and discourage ms
much as they surprised. the British.
Another mighty shop keeping" and
ship keeping Power had arisen. II
anything of the Pamerstonian tradi-
ton, the prescience. the shrewdness
the readiness and the contempt for the
Exeter Hall conscience" had remained
TO the British Liberals. the blow which
Great Britain Is now trying to strike
have been struck long ago Great Brit
ain would have helped Denmark She
would have come 10 the aid Of France
fOrty-four years earlier. She now has
to fight even for the control of the
narrow seas for her ultimate protection
against starvation, for her waning com
parative commercial importance In the
ports and marts of the world And she
IS justified in fighting. as Germany Is
Justified. For war and peace are one;
cannon and long lists of killed and
wounded must not blind US to that
The economic war is carried on silently,
and without the international sensa-
tiOnal terror Of its more theatrical con-
gener: but II is permanent.
The German Emperors phrase Of
proud humility about Germany's right
to "a place in the SUM- has been much
sneered at, hui It expresses a profound
fact. II expresses nm economic neces
sity. Germany wants ports. colonies,
new territory for her commercial eX-
pansion new fields for her population
her labor and energy How about Bel
GUMS and Hollands. Denmark's "place
in the sun? do You ask. Everybody
except when his own country happens
to be fighting a smaller one-is an en-
thusiast for the under dog" and the
contemporary valor of the Belgians,
the historical unconquerahe valor Of
the Dutch, command universal respect.
But-and let the truth find way though
its face looks hrutal-what Is the "prin.
ciple of nationaltes" once so much
heard OF but phrase? II a nation
ality can maintain itself, 1t does IL not
II must go to the wall
We don't wish to accept unreservedly
the economic Interpretation Of his.
tory" especially in the hands OF assist
ant professors; still less. TO minimize
the scope OF great personalities and
heroic virtues, or the lamentabe and
too visible accompanlments Of armed
war and its lingering sorrows and re-
sentiments But such war is no DOR
tent. no wild relapse into savagery, no
setting back Of the clock OF civiliza.
ton. 1t Is the most obvious way Of set
Ting temporarily and for few years
the economic conflicts OF nations And
armed war may bring nobler harvest
than defeat to the loser. See how