Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-09-01
:. in the American Magazine.
PART |.

"a ''Hy
vanced for or against Italy's action In
Joining the entente powers, history Will
render the verdict that she has no real
choice. She could not join h Ger
manic poH'ers so long as the British
navy floated indicated. G~errnany's in
ability to attain command of the sea
made 1t suicidal for Italy to cast her
lot with the central empires. A declara-
tion of war would ave exposed the
longest. most populous coast in Europe
to the scourge of naval operations.
Neutrality was the best Germany could
expect from her. short of national self
destruction, and gradually 1t became
certain that neutrality was impossible.
BY remaining neutral she isolated her
self. After the war she would not have
had a friend in the world, and on her
northern border would have stood the
Germantc hosts, probably as foes. The
choice she made may have been perilous
but it was not so dangerous as no choice
would nave been.
Sea Power Still Rules the World.
Sea power thus again becomes the
dominant force in shaping history. The
British fleet has given Britain 3.000,-
600 soldiers, and an liam with a
power which may decide the war. The
great historic situation illumines as by
a calcium light the truth which our
own Admiral Mahan taught the world
in his books. For more than 1000
years destiny has given power into the
hands of the people having command Of
the sea. Rome herself vas saved from
becoming Greek by sea power in the
hands of the foes of Greece. Nearly 900
years before Christ sea fighting be-
tween Greeks on one side and EtruScans
and Phunicians on the other saved
Roman civilization from Hellenization.
n more n a century later Athens
was turned back from the conquest of
all Sicily and the western coast of Italy,
Rome. by the defeat of the
Athenian navy at -Syracuse-one of the
decisive battles of the world.
The Britain of the ancient world was
Phunnicia. whose mariners commanded
the Mediterranean as If it had been a
lake. and who colonized it's
shores from Sicily west. They founded
Carthage. ranged outward through the
Pillars of Hercules. traded to the west
coast Of Africa and to Britain. Assyria,
to conquer the Phnnicians.
take over the PhHnician sea power
as Germany wants to conquer Great
Britain in this present war. The con-
quest of the British Isles would have
made those Stands German provinces.
given Germany the sea power now
proudly possessed by Britain. It would
have turned the world upside down.
Persia did to Phuenicia what Germany
would like to do to the British empire
ondue her, and take over her sea
power. Then did Europe first face III
danger OF becoming Asiatic. That peril
suspended only by the victory of
Mtltiades oyer Darius in the and bat
tie at Marathon. BY that wonderful
Grecian victory the Persians were pre-
vented for he momen merely from
wiping out Athens. and with Athens
Greek civilization The impending doom
was not turned aside until Themisto-
cles won the command Of the sea from
the Persians at Salamis in 4OS B. C.
he. quite as truly as Miltiades, was the
real savior OF Greece. He saved her by
persuading the Athenians to uke the
proceeds OF their silver mines in the
buildfn- Of a navy. Themistocles saw
more clearly than any other man until
Mahanss day the influence Of sea power
In making history. Mahan rediscoyered
the principles on which the ancient
Greek hero based his craftsmanship.
Athens spread he power over all the
Mediterranean east OF Italy under the
Of this triumph. She became the
England of her age. Thirty years after
Salamis she was able &c hold back her
at home and carry on tre-
wars abroad. At one time
h had 200 warships engaged in an
expedition against Egypt, she had q
fleet on the Ph9nician coast and an
other of Rhodes, and at the same time
gained great victories on both land and
era e her enemies at home. Her COM
lne-ce plowed the sea In every dfrec-
tor Most hat n great In Greek history
lowered out In this. the age OF Pericles
and his contemporaries in the rather
brief period OF Athens command of the
Tor commerce and conquest
Tnen Home grew great. with SYRIA
cnDe. Athens, and q gradually extend
skirt Of conquered provinces ack-
~n0wled8anG her an mistress: but she
could not become al powerful 30 long
- Carthage. daughter Of Phoenicia. was
uncOnQuered It SEA The Punic wars
we're settled in favor Of Rome by the
Roman nayy. Why did Hannibal, and
then H~asdfubal, make those terrible
marches from the straits Of Gibraltar
through Spain and 0aul and over the
Alps 70 order 70 reach Italy9 Because
Carthage had lost u Rome the conn
mand = be- Sea. Carthage could not
rolnfOfce Hannibal. SAVE by efforts
Mhlch 10 commander less able than
Haedrubal's head was thrown over the
Tails of H~annibal's camp. after the bat
'sle q 1efaueu0 river, the day Of the
ft0fy ct Carthage wae over. TO bring
~ PRIDE "a b dust it only needed .
Dctpto ana ansAfrican campaign. made.
A0eeoNd1 - Cabbage
-Go punish England" This II nov
2 HERMAN tOa0t.s0oeeslt NOT recall the
lcry 81 that Old Roman Garbage must
l.. deearoye9 reiterated until e domi-
Enssea psycholo9y q Rome! And
ssatse: 0seyrnany 81 nov what Rome was
xnan-en0 keen1y cOnBcious Of u. Ger
ny heaSeyeo that Great Britain -
40eueeemf ln character. In morals. In e.
gq3ency.NShe 8oe1D thatsanctont Roman
- q o,eoneSssr shs rsgesds ~ AZ.