The Washington times., 1915-10-28
WHY THE BALKAN DRIVER

glance, why germany is StdhliS ~
much on its effort to drive through
the Balkan peninsula and save Con-
stantinople from the allies. Yet
consideration Of the elements in
volved will make very plain why it
Is Of supreme Importance to Ger
many to win in that quarter.
Germany needs something to
trade off to England, when peace
10 made, for the return of German
colonies. Constantinople is su-
premely important in England. 1t
overlooks the road to India, menaces
the Suez canal, threatens British
control Of Egypt, and is a long step
toward realization of the German
dream of an Oriental place in the
sum-"
AS matter of fact, the import
ance of getting trading stock on
which to base a barter with Eng
land is doubtless the first consdera-
tion. Let the facts Of the war be
surveyed coolly, and it must be ap-
parent that England las all the
gains, the allies have borne all the
losses, in the war to date, so far
as territorial and imperial aspira-
tions are concerned.
Suppose, for instance, that to-
morrow a peace were to be ar
ranged on the basis of the status
quo: the position of affairs to date.
What would be the situation? Bel
GUM would be German, including
Antwerp. So would the greater
part of ten provinces in northern
France. So would Russian Poland,
much of Livonia, Courland, and the
Baltic region generally.
Germany, in short, holds hostages
from Belgium, France, Russia. But
how about England?
England has lost no foot of ter
ritory. Her grip of the seas is firm
err than it ever was before; and in
a little more than year she has
been transformed into military
country. She has an army of 3D.
100000 men. She knows what war
means, knows it may come at any
time, knows she must in future be
prepared against it.
But this is not all. Instead OF
losing territory since the war be.
gan, England has gained it. She
has overrun the German possessions
in Africa, has taken Kaiser Wilhelm
land and many other possessions OF
Germany in the Pacific, has con.
solidatcd the British colonial empire
as never before. 1t is not wide Of
the mark to say that England is
safer from Wilhelm today than she
was from Napoleon during the tim,
when the Corsican yoarned fol
means to crush out the cross-chan
mel rival chat always stood between
him and domination Of Europe.
Russia and France could be con
celvcd making peace with German.
right now, and leaving Britain t,
carry on the war alone, there is ev
cry reason to believe that Britain
could do it effectively. And nobod,
realizes this better than Germany
Just one important gain has bee
achieved by the Kaiser that consti
tutcs a real menace to Britain. H
holds Antwerp, Napoleon's "pistc
pointed at England's head" But h
cannot imagine that either Franc
or Britain will ever consent to
peace that will Leave him with Ant
werp. He will at length have to re
habilitate Belgium; and therefore h
must, in some other quarter of tn
world, find a new piece of tradin
property with which to buy term
from England. In case of peace NJ
gotiatons under present condition
England could very we'll sit bac
and say "our soil has not been il
vaded. We are able to take care
ourselves now and in future. 1t
regrettable that Russia loses SON
territory, that France is compele
to pay indemnity; but we have dor
what we could to help save ther
and done it from motives in whic
generosity was not wholly lackin
Germany has chosen to make Fran,
and Russia her eternal enemies
demanding heavy penalties fro
them. Very well; we will hold VIII
Wc have taken; the seas and Il
colonies Of Germany, and wait f
Che future to finish the tale"
Such is the obvious attitude tn
England is free to assume in pre-
ent circumstances. She stands u
beaten and unimpaired; postured
take over the commerce that on
was Gcrmany's, along with the col
mics. That could not possibly i
volve anything other than the
ginning of a new series of co
ficts like those Of the Napoleon
era, with a powerful and persiste
Britain always forming new Goa