The weekly soliphone., 1917-06-21

pies who could be overwhelmed by
| force as their natural tools and in
struments of domination. Their
purpose has been long avowed. The
statesmen of other nations to whom
that purpose was incredible, paid
little attention; regarded what Ger
man professors eXpounded in their
class rooms and German writers set
forth to the world as the goal of
German policy as rather the dream
of minds detached from practical
affairs, as preposterous private con-
ceptions of German destiny, than
as the actual plans of responsible
rulers; but the rulers of Germany
themselves knew all the while what
concrete plans, what we'll advanced
| fessors and the writer's were saying
and were glad to go forward I'M
molested filling the thrones of Bal
4 kan states with German princes,
putting German officers at the ser
vice of Turkey to drill her armies
and make interest with her govern
ment, developing plans of sedition
and rebellion in India and Egypt,
setting their fires in Persia. The
demands made by Austria upon Ser
bia were a mere single step in a
plan which comprised Europe and
Asia from Berlin to Bagdad. They
hoped these demands might not
arouse Europe, but they meant to
press them whether they did or
not, for they thought themselves
ready for the final issue of arms,
4 GERMANY'S GREEDY AMBITION.
Their plan was to throw a broad
belt of Germany power and politi-
cal control across the very center
Of Europe and beyond the Mediter-
Ianeans into the heart Of Asia; and
Austria-Hungary was to be as much
their tool and pawn as Serbia OF
Bulgaria or Turkey or the ponder
Gus states of the east. Austria
Hungary indeed, was to become part
of the central German empire, alb
sorbed and dominated by the same
forces and influences that had orig
nally cemented the German states
themselves. The dream had its
heart at Berlin. 1t could have had
: a heart nowhere else. 1t rejected
the idea of solidarity of race en-
tirely. The choice of peoples played
no part in it at all. 1t contemplate
litical units which could be kept
together only by force-Czechs
Magyars, Croats, Serbs, Rouma-
mans, Turks, Armenians-th proud
states of Bohemia and Hungary
The stout little commemorative OF
the Balkans; the indomitable Turks
the subtle peoples of the east
These peoples did not wish to be
united. They ardently desired tt
direct their owing affairs, would be
satisfied only by undisputed inde-
pendence. They could be kept quiet
only by the presence or the constant
threat of armed men. They Wculd
live under common power only
by sheer compulsion and await tho
day of revolution. But the German
military statesmen had reckOnet
with all that and were ready tC
deal with it in their own way.
And they have actually carried
the greater part of that amazing
plan into execution Look how
things stand. Austria is at then
mercy 1t has acted not upon it,
own initiative or upon the choice o
it's own people, but at Berlin's die
tation ever since the war began
It's peoples now desire peace, bu
cannot have it until leave is grant
ed from Berlin. The so-called Cen
trail Powers are in fact but a single
; power. Serbia is at its mercy
should its hands be but for a mo
ment freed. Bulgaria has consented
to its will and Roumania is over
run. The Turkish armies which
Germans trained are serving Ger.
many, certainly not themselves ant
the guns of German warships lying
mind Turkish statesmen every day
that they have no choice but tC