Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-28
BERLIN TO 3AGDAD-
A DREAM OF EMPIRE
The Larger and Neglected Meaning
of the Fall of Constantinople.
The Quebec of Germany's
Colonial Ambitions
Rv FRANK II. sIMoNps

BY FRANK II. SIMONDS
TT is natural n was inevitable. that
Il world with its attention fixed upon the
European battlehelds should see in the fight
for the Dardanelles. for Constantinople ono
phase OF the struggle to defeat the immediate
German ends and aims. Thus the observers
have pretty generally agreed that the fall
OF Constantnope would mean the munition-
ing OF Russin the breaking Of that blockade
Of winter and the Kaiser. which has shut
of the armies Of the Czar from the ammu-
milton Of his Allies: the elimination OF Tur-
key from the battle line Of the Central
Powers and the permanent disposal of the
Balkan problem for the present war
The value OF Constantinople in the terms
Of the strategy Of war has been pretty clear
~ grnsped by the ordinary observer. Yet
this is only minor angle OF the greater
problem. Constantnople will not merely
bring down in its fall the last remaining
walls Of Osmanli Empire in Europe. it will
mean tho complete breakdown of the most
ambitious the most colossal OF all the Ger
man bids for a place in the sun. II will be
the end Of the dream. still cherished in Ber-
lin. only now beginning to lose its power to
awaken apprehension in London, Paris and
Pctrograd of German advance along the
road of Alexander the Great from the
Bosphorus to the Euphrates from Byzan-
uum to Bagdad, and beyond to the frontiers
OF India itself
Seeking the Desert
Achieving her unity only in 1871. Germany
came too lote into the field to share i'm the
partition of the better portions Of the globe
available for colonization. But in the east
OF Europe. south of the Danube and stretch
ing across the Straits into Asia Minor and
beyond, there was field for Germany 1t
had double advantage: it could be reached
through Austria, an ally, not a rival, without
crossing the seas. IL was then open TO Ger
man armies, while the conquest of African
colonies remained impossible while British
naval supremacy was assured 1t was. too,
natural and easy line Of advance once the
little Balkan peoples were brushed aside,
and they could offer no real resistance to
Austfo-German might; and in Asia Minor
there was a world once the centre of pros
perity and civilization, now become almost
desert but stll rich in all the possibilities
or Industrial and commercial life
Thus it was that Germans began many
years ago to dream of an empire, an em-
pre- which should be founded on the closest
commercial alliance between Austria and
the military control, of Turkey From Ber-
lin to Bagdad, through Austro German ter
ritory and through the lands of a Turkish
ally or vassal, the railroad was to connect
the Spree with the Euphrates and in due
time German military power was to approach
Suez and the Indus, TO strike at Great Brit
ain at two vital points.
Railroads and Romance
The story of the beginnings OF the Bag.
dad Railroad is a marvellous fusion of ro-
nance and machine. In few brief years
the German, whom the world has learned
to despise as diplomat, had replaced the
Brton at the Golden Horn. He was the first
friend of the Sultan. The Kaiser was the
ally of the head of the hierarchy of Islam
his generals were training Turkish troops
his engineers were crossing Asia Minor by
the road Of Alexander and Of Cyrus.
The Sick Man of the East seemed sud
denly galvanized. German and Austrian
statesmen supported Turkish rule or rather
misrule, in Macedonia The chaos there was
prolonged with the very deliberate intent
that II should one day yield to Austro-Ger-
man order All the ambitions of Serb, Greek
Bulgar were crushed down by the Turk ruth
le3sly, with the open or covert aid Of the
Germans. Every effort at reform went to
wreck, because the Turk, sure of his allies
felt no fear of his old foe, Russia, no regard
fer his ancient British ally.
II was true. and the Turks realized it,
that what Germany aimed at was ultimate
conquest, but in the meantime her purpose
was identical with that of the Osmanli; she
was interested in keeping Turkey intact be-
cause she purposed to rule it, and Russia
and France had their eyes fixed on Constan-
tinople and Syria. Great Britain had taken
Cyprus and ruled supreme in Egypt, despite
a nominal recognition of the Khedive T.
the dream Of the Turk to restore his
ancient empire. He longed to reconquer
Egypt Tunis, Algeria; TO take up the an
cient pathway of glory along the southern
shore OF the Mediterranean.
The Pathway of Empire Ready
As for Germany. such an expansion struck
at France and England. Controlling the Sui
tan she would control the spiritual com
mander Of most of the 3OO,OOOOOO Mahome-
tans, not alone those subject to the Turks,
but also the subjects OF Great Britain, OF
France, OF Russia. Once the Bagdad Rail-
road connected Constantnope with Bagdad,
made junction with the Syrian railroads
which led down past the Egyptian frontier
TO Mecca, her pathway Of empire was ready
To the completion Of her colossal plan the
small Balkan States were a barrier.
When Italy had done, Bulgaria, servia,
! Montenegro and Greece attacked the Turk