Imperial Valley press., 1914-08-05
THIS WAR?

the cause OF the great w2r now break
ing or Europe, and The explanation
is to be found in the ned for more
Land by the people of Eurora, and
especially the southe:.ster part 2f
Europe. In fact, the need of land has
caused most of the wars Of history,
and has led to all the nligratiors that
lave dispersed tie hu,aan race over
the earth.
Population tends always to increase
beyond the power of the land to sus-
tain i.fe, though the articles of civ
ilization to degree offset this by
steadily increasing the possible popu-
latioa in a given country. In lands
where the institutions of civilization
advance least the pressure of popu-
lation is most felt, and the lack of
advancement in southeastern Europe
makes that land where the pressure
of population is most felt.
There is also an ethnic problem.
The Serbs and the Huns are two
virile people who yet have much of
the primitive bark On them, but
whose strength of race traits make
them powers in the world. The Serbs
are divided into two small nations,
and a portion of the race is held i'll
the Austro-H Hungarian empire against
their will.
Austria has always been an op-
presser. From the Middle Ages to
modern times it held portions of It
ally in subsection, until the Italians,
aided by Napoleon, gained strength
to assert themselves.
The Serbs are now doing what the
Italians did, and it is among the pos
sibilitics of this war that the Serbs,
finally united, will come out of the
struggle as one Of the big powers Of
j EuEope. -.-.-.-.--.---.---,.
In Germany and France the pres
sure Of population is also keenly felt,
and Germany has in late years shown
a disposition to revenge herself on
France for her humiliation when held
for years under the heel of Napol-
con. 1t was the rancor lasting from
that period that led Germany to ex-
act two billion francs and the terri
tory OF Alsace-Lorraine from France
after the Battle of Sedan in 1870.
Since then France has never ceased
to dream Of the recovery Of that ter
ritory and of the wealth cxactcd.
The pressure of population il Go"-
many has led Emperor William -
build up the greatest army the world
has ever seen, preparatory to making
exactions on the rest of the world,
and all of the neighbors of Germany
have consequently grown fearful of
the ambition of this war lord
That is why England, France, Rus
sia, Belgium and the Serb nations are
arranged as unit against Germany
and hustria-Hungary.
1t is admitted that no single ma
ton is equipped to meet Germany on
land, Just as no other nation can meet
England on the water.
The strategy of Germany evident
ly was to enter the war with co-opera-
ton Of her allies, Austria Hungary
and Italy, to persuade England to
remain neutral and to make a sud
den dash into France with immense
forces and defeat that nation quickly,
then to turn and fight the war out
with Russia.
The first failure of the strategy
was in the failure Of Italy to join
in the war, that nation holding that
its treaty obligation only called for
aid in defense Of its allies from an
outside force, while in this war Ger
many and Austria were the aggres-
sors.
The second failure of the strategy
was in the failure to keep England
cut of the war.
What the result of the war will be
no one can tell. Frederick the Great
of Prussia held the world at bay for
years. His descendant crouched in
Gbject subjection before Napoleon,
and still further down the line Ger
many redeemed its war record by the
war with France.
Bus war has been made, like all
things else, an art in the handling
Of machinery. The wonderful force
displayed by Germany in the last two
days must yet be tried out by the
machines Of the earth, the water and
the air, and it viii be the most mar
velou2 fact in history if the Teutons
and Huns can withstand the on
slaughts of the Franks from the west,
The Britons and Netherlanders from
the north, the Slavs and Tartars from