Evening star., 1915-11-21
BY FRANK 81. sIMoNDS.

More and more as the German march
to the Golden Horn takes shape in the
minds of the military observers Of the
world 1t becomes clear that the oper-
alton is more than an advance to re-
lieve the hard-pressed Turk or crush
the offending Serb. 1t is more than
vigorous thrust to open the orient rail-
way and thus unite three central
powers. increased now by the Bull
garian enlistment. Whether 1t be
threat or a real purpose, Germany's
new operation is directed at Suez and
Cairo; is a blow at the Suez canal, that
waterway which in German literature
is described as the Heel of Achilles"
of the British empire.
In London, as in Berlin, the threat is
recognized. The reasons for the threat
are equally plain. After sixteen months
OF war Germany has conquered Bel
gium and occupied considerable sec
tion of northern France, from which
all efforts to eXpel her have failed. She
has conquered Poland and Courland,
pushed Russia well within the older
Romanon territories.
France and Russia Suffer.
Both France and Russia have suffered
severe blows. But both have escaped
keep the field, France with the aid of
the British army, Russia with the help
of British finances. In addition, the
British fleet continues to suffocate Ger
man Industrial life and interfere with
German food supply.
Unless Great Britain can be brought
to desire peace the Germans recognize
that the war may be Indefinitely pro-
longed.
Gott Strafe England.
How, then, is Great Britain TO be
wounded; wounded SO severely as to
bring her to listen to the thought of
peace on German terms? The sub
marine blockade has failed The Yep
pelin menace has proven empty as a
peace producing weapon. The drive to
Calais failed year ago, and there is
no nope now of reaching the narrow
strait facing Dover. There can be no
thought of an invasion of England,
because the British fleet remains in
being. The sea, as in Napoleon's time,
lands.
There remains the chance to strike
the British empire. The renoter COL
onies are beyond reach. because they
lie beyond the seas. But if Germany,
having opened the road from Berlin
to Byzantiuln, could officer and muni-
tlon strong Turkish army, this might
strike at Egypt. by way OF Suez. True,
the attempt was dalade by Turkish
army early in the war, but it was d
RAID rather than an invasion, and the
army had not been equipped by Ger
mans with the care and completeness
that was required
A second blow, more carefully
planned. more thoroughly prepared,
might carry the Turk across the Suez
canal To such an invasion the Egyp-
tians would probably respond by an
lnsurrection. The faith of Islam is
common to the Turk and the ruling
caste of Egypt. Once the masses OF
the Osmanli, under the green banner
entered the ancient land of the Turk
and approached the city of the caliphs
an outburst of religious fanaticism
might be expected to sweep before it
every vestiSe of British power. Egypt
might be lost in day and the rem
nant of British armies driven south
upon the Soudau or north to AleXan-
dria and the transports.
Would the Threat Sufficep
Such dire possibilities would, to the
German mind, not inconceivably bring
the British to terms before the blow
fell. Once England felt that Suez was
in danger, Egypt in peril, India likely to
be cut off from direct communication
with Britain. save by the Cape route,
England might be willing to listen to
the talk of a German peace, which
left England her empire, but insured
Germany her place in the sun, both in
Asia Minor and in Central Africa. Bel
gium might be evacuated for the ces-
sion of the Kongo Free State; France,
for the surrender of French Kongo and
swinging indemnity. England might
be glad of peace at i price i'll money
fixed by Berlin.
before the blow fell, could she endure
the loss of Egypt, the prospects of
insurrection in India? Would Italy still
be for war to the knife when. instead
of winning Trieste and Trentino, she
stood to lose Tripoli, threatened alike
by internal revolt and by Turkish in
vasion? For France, too, there would
be the peril of the Turkish invasion
from Tripoli into Tuns and Algeria,
a new return of victorious Islam along
the road the Arab conquerorS took,
which led by the shore of the Mediter-
ranean to Spain, across Gibraltar
straits. and only stopped in southern
France.
dreamed of harnessing the power of
Mahomet to the car of HohenzolIern
conquest. They have permitted tthe
Turk to believe. as the Turk believed
of that other great monarch, Napoleon,
that their kaiser was a Mahometan.
At Tangier and in Jerusalem the kaiser
has spoken words which were intended
to stir the hearts of the followers of
the prophet. Half of the plan was rea-
lized when Turkey enlisted in the great
war; the other half seems to come
true, from the German standpoint now
that the railroad runs clear from Ham
burg and Brussels to the Golden Horn
The Bagdad Railroad.
For the realization of this dream the
Germans have been working in Asia
Minor for many years. The great Bag
dad railroad. which has filed diplo-
matte reports and international politics
for decade, has been for the Germans
the instrument which at the appointed
time would respond to their hand and
prove the ruin of British imperial
this road has been traced
across the highlands of Anatolia to
the Taurus mountains; beneath these |
mountains, near the famous Cilicia |
gates. which Alexander passed through |
on his march to India. which the Per- |
slams penetrated In their earlier ad- |
vances to the west against Greece, the /
Germans have been tunnelling.
Beyond the Taurus the railroad has |
been constructed most of the distance |
to the Euphrates. West of the river
Damascus line. and south of this leads |
the great Mecca railroad, constructed |
by Abdul Hamtd to give him sure con-
troll Of the holy cities Of Islam and a |
fat revenue derived from the pilgrims |
making their great religious excdr-
sion to the city Of Mahomet Far to
the south. near the Sinai desert, the