Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-11

'nN TO lndia!' the cry mas Deeh raiseu
" in Berlin a highway of battle and
conquest and imperial power from Berlin to
Bagdad and on through Mesopotama to the
head of the Persian Gulf, even to Britain's
Asian treasure house of wealth, seems too
vast an undertaking, with foes every side,
foes behind and before but the bigger the
task and the more stupendous the effort the
stronger seems the appeal to tho war man
ayers of Germany. Thirteen months ago the
well-known General Won Bernhardi-shall we
not call him "publiclst" named India as
the certain goal of the Teuton armies I'VE
shall go to India" he said, land the native
peoples will welcome us Here in America
we have heard vague rumors of unrest In
the British dominons in Asia London has
heard them, to the great discontinue of the
ccnsors and the imperIlment of editorial
writer's. When Kitchener departed eastward
England and America we're quick to believe
that his destination was India
But the Teutonc designs on India are
older. They are at least as old as the Der
lin to- Ba gdad" project. The BaGdad Rail
road is Germany's "Suez Canal" the symbol
of her dreams for empire eastward, the con-
Meeting link from Berlin to the Persian Gulf
and beyond lies India, the pearl of the
British Empires crown. From the stand
point of war strategy India, as Won Bern
hardi said, is EnEland's feet of clay. Several
years ago the London Times thundered
warning TO the British Government and the
British people. 1.-THE maintenance OF British
supremacy on the Persian Gulf closely af-
fects the future of British rule in India,
The revived interest in the Bagdad
Railway is of vital Importance to Indian in
terests > The greatest fear of those
Interested in the welfare of India is that,
amid the absorbing preoccupations of do
mestic problems, Indian problems, both ex-
ternaI and internal, may not receive the
attention they deserve at the hands of the
British public
Peter the Greats Injunction
And what of Russian ambitions? The his
tory of the nineteenth century is filled with
the rivalry of Great Britain and Russia, as
poignant and relentessy pursued on both
sides any rivalry in ancient or modern
times. 1t concerns not only Constantinople,
but India also Some of IL has been written in
the strangling of Persia, but its concluding
chapter has not yet appeared, Neither side
has vanquished the other, They are now
allies, but both cannot win, because both aim
or did aim, until few months ago-at the
same thing; England to keep India, Russia
to wrest it from her and add 1t to her own
possessions.
sion of India. Peter the Great of Russia
dreamed OF a far-stretching empire balanced
between Europe and Asia, with CONSTANT
nope, the capital of the Caesars for 100
years, the capital of Russia, and left to
his successors the following injunction;
Keep in mind that the commerce of India
is the commerce OF the world. and that he
who can exclusively control it is the dictator
OF Europe" This injunction has never been
quite forgotten
But the Russian Bear has been softly and
steadily moving eastward ever since, east
ward toward India. Profuse with express
sions of friendship for Great Britain, politely
acknowledging again and again that "the
Persian Gulf is n British lake" blandy con-
ceding when invited to do so. that "circum-
stances make il necessary for Great Britain
to have exclusive control over Afghan af-
fairs, Afghanistan lying next to India; cor
daily asserting to the wisdom of keeping
Tibet. on the Indian northern frontier. an
Independent state; Russia has all the time
tried to secure for herself by secret methods
every right she has so glibly given to Great
Britain, not only by WORD OF mouth. but by
treaty, solemnly signed, sealed and delivered.
money Graveyard of the World"
The aim OF each nation that has ever
sought dominion In the great region known
as India has been commercial and not colo
niaL AS Admiral Mahan pointed out in THE
Problem of Asia" India constitutes a highly
important base" of military and naval
power as well an area valuable in itself
As source of wealth it is the richest pos
session" on the face Of the earth. 1t yields
annual revenues of $500 900 OOO The balance
of trade is always in favor Of India As a
reservoir of precious metal India is bar
barleally splendid. This fabulous accumula-
tlon Of concrete wealth is an interesting
theme.
From the latest eommsres reports comes