The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-09-01


without having his baggage or mer-
chandise oyerhauled by customs Of
ficers. The boundaries are marked
with posts at every few yards and
studded with forts
If bunch of men in Berlin want
to build railroad to the sea, they
can only build to Hamburg or Frank
fort or some other place on their re-
stricted sea front. They can't build
to the magnificent harbors of Hol-
land, because they belong to another
nation.
The teeming millions and bound
less acres of Russia must send their
vast cargoes of wheat abroad thru
the corkscrew courses of the Bospo-
rus and the Skager Rack, because
dog-in-the-mange Turkey and peck
et-size Denmark lie across the path of
her commerce to the west, worm-eat-
en- Persia shuts her off to the south
and aggressive Japan and awakening
China are between her and the east
ern sea.
And so it is in less measure with
other nations.
IF Europeans had as much sense
as .A asllI.2.,-<cans, they would abolish
Their forts and mark their boundary
lines with an occasional post. They
would form a customs union, and
carry goods and passengers from one
country to another without any dues
or formalities except paying freight
and buying tickets. If Russia could
ship goods unobstructed thru Ger
many or China or Persia, she would
not be crowding and occasionally
lighting for the iee-free ports she
must have and will have. If Germany
could ship and receive goods thru
Holland, Belgium and France; if
Austria had free passage thru Mace
donna, there would be no need of in
Itriguing and fighting. IF the peoples
of Europe could cross their bound
aries with the freedom a citizen of
the United States can step from one
commonwealth to another, they
would understand and like each
other.
Carlisle speaks of that damnable
prejudice called patriotism. Now,
genuine patriotism is one of the
/ greatest virtues in the world, but
most of the feeling that has sent ten
million men out on the battle1elds
in the last few weeks is prejudice,
ibased on misunderstanding.
On the continent of Europe, the
German has the finest organized civ
. iIization- too finely, in
, fact He has probably made war in
the honest belief that he had to do
lit to protect his civilization. The
results so far show that he has the
: most powerful war machine in the
: world, and had no real need to make
( war. In the meantime, his civiliza-
: perhaps than his enemies could have
2 hurt it if he had remained at peace
: and stood on guard. And the end is
: not yet.
/ The Slav is not the equal of the
Y German in civilization. Probably ht
Y is not his equal in any of the virtues
i that Americans most appreciate. AnC
Y the Slav has been very provoking
: But he has virtues of his own, ant
e the right to live.
i The GauI has his grievance, be
r queathed to him from his fathers
g He has cherished his vengeance for !.
If defeat that was partly deserved
d and vengeance is poor business 70
e either a nation or an individual
e The Frenchman of today had, up t
i few weeks ago, little real reaso
d to hate the German. If he had trie
y. to make friends. there would haV
ID probably been no war.
re The Briton has not been just t
id the German-he has tried to kee
Id him from trade even as he ono
lie tried to keep Russia from the Sc;
i, In both he has made a bitter mi
ne take, and victorious or yanquishe
a. must bitterly pay for both. Fro
to the day that Germany invaded BE
Ii giu1n, the Brfton's conscience may 1
ch clear. but before that he did man
things that he will yet blame hin
gs self for.
on AS for Belgium, she is a brave Ii
tie nation, and has been Who'll
pi- right in all she did.
IT, A vast misunderstanding, hatrt
III based on Ignorance a marrow vie
ct of national interest-an reachiI
in back into the dark ages-these a
the causes of the conflict, which, |
ept matter what else it does will almo