South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-05
MAHAN' 8 NAVAL
PHILOSOP HY GETS
FIRST REAL TEST
Events of Next Few Weeks
viii Determine Whether Sea
Power is Equivalent to
Power as a Nation.

WASHINGTON. March 5.-afore
than 20 years ago she late Rear Ad-
Tnirm Mahan. L. = n, wrote q book
called The influence Of sea Power
Upon History" In IL ne developed a
new philosophy and a new interpreta-
ton OF historical events. He declared
that nations came into power in the
almost exact ratio that they evolved
shipping and naval resources. lie laid
IL down as automatic that power on
the sea was equivalent 70 power as a
nation.
The book was scoffed at. particular
~ by certain apostles of insularity in
the United States who were then
shouting no entangllng alliances
and mo ship subsidy at the top of
their voices Among those who
thought the book significant, however,
was the German emperor. lie then
was a young man. and in his aspira-
tons for German world empire his
thoughts were turning towards the
seven seas. The more the kaiser read
the book the more he liked il, and he
was largely responsible for giving its
tremendous vogue. He made it a part
OF the course OF reading for all Ger
man naval cadets, praised the volume
wherever he went and sent personal
letter of congratulation TO Admiral
Mahan himself
Germ OF German Navy.
The Influence Of Sea Power Upon
History was. according to critics, the
germ OF the modern German navy.
From the moment that the German
emperor accepted It's basic philosophy.
Germany began TO build great iron
clads, and within a decade she had
all England expanding her naval bud
gets To a point where a great popular
outcry against such increased taxation
nearly threw the present liberal move
ment out OF power Great Britain did
not know that Mahan's book was be-
hind the unprecedented German ma
vel increases, or probably the genial
American naval officer would not
have become as popular in England as
was the case.
Germany accepted the Mahan phil
osophy and with the increase in her
navy came her mighty campaign TO
build up foreign trade a campaign
that was successful. She built up her
manufactures 10 a point where her
agricultural resources were pushed in
TO the background. and where the
label, made in Germany" became
known all over the world One of the
results OF the comparative decline OF /
agriculture was that she became to
some extent dependent on her over
seas carrying trade for her food sup
ply. She became a large importer Of
grains and cereals from the United
states and Russia. AS her population
advanced, and manufacturing became
the keystone Of her wealth and pow
er. her self-sustaining resources dwin-
died.
All Sources Cut on.
Now her normal sources Of food
supply are cut of. and she is alto
gether dependent upon her own agri-
culture. as was the case in the EOS
and soc. Not only mat but her great
foreign trade. the dominant feature OF
her wealth, is entirely gone. The Brit
ish control Of the seas has secured the
ocean clean of the last German mer-
chairman. Is this the result OF the
kaiser's accepting the Mahan philOso-
ply?
Many critics OF international affairs
say it is. They declare that Germany.
in developing a great foreign trade.
came into direct and vital competition
with Great Britain, and that she drew
down her challenge to the latter ma
ton before she was ready to do SO.
Only in the event that Germany de-
stroys the British fleet can she win
the war. regardless Of the tide of con-
fliCt on land.
The success OF the German paper
blockade" Of England might and
probably would, be the turning point
of the war. IF Germany could do TO
the English carrying trade what her
great rival has already done to her
trade. the end Of the war is in sight.
Germany IS partially dependent upon
OLneT naIlOnS nGI IOouSLuUSs EHE-
land is entirely so. Should Great Bril-
tain be isolated from her colonies or
from the United states, her popula-
ton would be starving and asking for
peace terms within month.
Philosophy Gets Test.
Clearly the AIahan philosophy en-
braces the fact that sea power Is not
sufficient to bring a nation into an
undisputed position of wealth and
strength: she must have the supreme
sea power So far the German navy. I
powerful asst IS has been as negligi- /
bic almost as II IL were non-existent; /
and that because the English navy is I
so much larger Submarines may
change the present status. The events I
OF the next few weeks viii not only I
determine the ultimate issue OF the 4
war. but also make or break the Ma
han philosophy OF history. At the /
present moment, control OF the seas Is /
the open sesame TO world power.