The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-11-12
THE PAN-GERMANIC
WAR IN FAR EAST
An Inmate Presents Review
of Historical Events
At The Present Showing The Triple Entente
Has Much The Advantage in Inter-
national Strength. German
MiIitaism Still Supreme
Chautauqua Paper By J. f.. F.

In considering the awful retro
gression in Europeon civilization
that is in progress at present. the
prime essential is comprehensive
knowledge of the policies which
have made such conditions possible
in an age of enlightened civilization,
of the international Ambitions which
have, indeed, forced this present
warfare upon the people of Europe.
And sluce it must be clear to all
that the German Government has
been and is the aggressive force, So
any study of the present conditions
must center about the policies OF
that Government.
Whether Bismarck forsaw gen
eral European war when he created
the German Empire, is perhaps open
to doubt, though historians, even
German historians, have not hesitat-
ed to affirm that be did. But be it
as it may, it is beyord the possibll-
ity of doubt that Bismarck's great
work in making of the scattered
German states a united power tit to
rank both in size and in resources
among the l.ading world powers
was the first step that led up gradu-
ally. yet continually, step by step.
to elimination in the greatest war
history has had to deal with.
Before the day of Bismarck and
the German Empire there had been
but two really great world powers.
France and Great Britain. True.
Spain had had a fling a, the great
game as had also Holland and Por.
tugal, but none of these were poss-
essed of the resources necessary to
conrlnue in the role. These unit
ed Germany did possess. and with
them rose rapidly IN the court OF ma
tiuns. But the German Empire
came into being la,e in the day as
compared with her two great rivals,
and found itself limited in the scope
of its legitimate expansion by them.
After the Wal of 1870, Germany,
and il fact all Europe, settled down
to a period of unprecedented pros
perity. Agriculture. msnufactur-
ing and, concomilantly, commerce
developed with a rapidlty truly
phenominal, aud population increas-
ed proportlonately. In less than a
decade s. rapid was this increase
and development. mat Europe began
to suffer from congestion. Great
Britain, France, and Germany. were
soon producing more than they
could consume. and it became nee
essary to secure some field in which
to unload this surplus production or,
to cut down their output aud throw
thousands of men out of means OF
livlihood. England aud France al
ready controlled vast colonies suit
able O relieve them in such crisis,
both by providing markets for their
surplus goods ana also land for col
onization purposes. that would re-
lelve them of threatened conges-
tiOn Of population. India and
Egypt provided markets for British
manufacturers; Canada and Austria
liza provided land for British col
onlzatlon; Iudo China and Morocco
provided markets for French manu-
facturers, and the latter provided
land for French colonization.
Germany had come into being as
"a world power too late to partici-
pate in the division of the vast col.
.onizatle PORTIONS of the globe. A
comparatively small portion of East
,ern and Southeastern Africa, little
suited for colonization purposes and
even less snlted as market for her
surplus produce, was all that was
left to her.
Thus. in 1881, Germany was pro-
during goods for export at the rate
of $24. per capita. as compared with
Eugland's $40. per capita and
Frances $25. per capita; and she
was compelled to find markets fol
these goods largely in countries
whose trade was controlled by
by either France and England. while
they each possessed vast colonial
markets.
In the same year, 1881, nearly
five per cent. of the total popula-
tinn of Germany emlgrated, and
emigration continued al nearly this
rate for several years. Nineiy-three
per cent. of this emigration was to
countries out side of German Con-