Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-07-22
ENGLAND'S GIFT TO CIVIIZA-
TION

We are going to build up n navy
second to none in the world. We
are preparing for war Many Amer
leans are asking: what for?" They
argue that we Will not have to fear
anything from any one of the
European nations which will be ex-
hausted completely after the present
world war Is over. That Is true, not
withstanding the fact that the advo-
Gates of q big navy and a large stand
ing army are always pointing to
Germany as the country against
which we have to prepare This
pointing to Germany is partly ignor-
ance, partly forethought to cover up
the real purpose for which we are
setting our house in order The men
who really know are gazing toward
the west and not toward the east
when the speak Of the necessity to
build a big navy and create q strong
army Their eyes rest on that little
but powerful island empire Off the
coast Of Asia-Japan, that ambitious
nation which seeks the control over
the Pacific Ocean and over the
Chinese empire and which has for
that reason consummated an alliance
with Russia a short while ago.
Writing on this subject, Mr.. b. II.
Ridder says under the caption eng
lands gift to civilization ;
Those irritating apologists Of the
Allies who, after two years Of war,
during which practically every peo-
pie In the world have had the fright
to live as they will" abridged in one
degree or another by one or another
oft he Allies, persist in the noisy
contention that Great Britain and
her colleagues in arms are sacrificing
themselves for the advancement Of
political liberty and occidental civili-
zation, should find the best possible
answer to their clamor in the Russo
Japanese alliance consummated in
Petrograd on the 3rd instant.
Whenever it has been possible,
without giving direct offense, the
participation Of Russia, Servia and
Japan in this work Of noble self
sacrifice, has been kept well on the
background; and it is England,
France and Italy, countries not gross
" inferior to their present enemies
in the arts and sciences, that have
usually been dangled before our
eyes Anyone with the slightest
knowledge Of contemporary history
knew, however, from the beginning
the massive Muscovite Colossus and
the distant Island Empire of Japan,
whether victorious in the end or not,
were bound to come out Of the war
stronger relatively than any other of
the belligerents. The polite declina-
tion by Japan Of the invitation Of
the Entente to join them in the
shambles Of Europe gave early notice
OF her intention to waste no more of
her resources than was necessary to
satisfy her national honor. Any
one, too, who knows anything of the
ruthless political ambitions of these
puissant Powers is equally well
aware that being postioned to de-
mand their pound of flesh they will
not long hesitate to secure it. The
particular position OF the Earth's
anatomy from which 1t Will be OK
tracted may be seen in the approach
ment between Toxic and Petrograd
Japan Is wise to keep away from
the battlefield Oft he West She has
a well defined Oriental policy to adj
vance. and she has a score to settle
with this country. She will require
for the consummation of her object
all the resources which she posses
ses.
She has chosen wisely, too, In taxi
ing Russia into Partnership. AL
though she came out Of the Russo
Japanese War victorious, 1t was
Pyrrhic victory, and 1t must have
shown her that Russia can never be
dislodged from northern Asia OBJ