Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-10-22
, MEDITERRANEAN
SEAT Of STRIFE
Strife in this PORTING Of Spe-
cial Interest to the
> United States.

Nd%FYN.a--T TA s.HE-s.S T2E14Esll- lSS4H s.-st
5 saloniki, oct. 22.-The war which
General sarrail is conducting on the
military front here is no the only
warfare going or in this part OF the
world. Among the diplomats and Of
Metals who circulate between here.
Athens, Paris. Rome and London, it is
recognized that there is another and
q. larger struggle in progress than the
one on the front, as II involves the
commercial and economic supremacy
OF the Mediterranean and it's great
ports-Marseilles. Genoa, Triest and
Saloniki-as against the supremacy OF
the North sea and its great CONNER
a.al cities, Hamburg and Bremen
IL said to have a special interest, for
the Mediterranean is but an extension
or arm of the Atlantic through which
the United States can take part In
the. future commerce Of the Mediter-
ranean basin, including southern
Europe, northern Africa and western
Asia.
and its ports had established undis-
puted supremacytin the Commercial
penetration of Europe. 1t was the
distributing point not only for north
ern Europe. but also for southern
ranean, which latter was quite un-
natural. The Mediterranean had al
r. most ceased to be an avenue Of sup
ply for its own section of southern
Europe.
It is to reverse this domination OF
the North sea and its ports. and re-
store the supremacy Of the Mediter-
ranean basin, that this economic
struggle is now going on all the way
from Saloniki to Calais.A The modern
administration Of European govern.
barbarian all along the northern coast
from Egypt and sTripoli to Morocco
Thus. for the first time, the Mediter-
ranean Is encircled by modern rule
and the facilities of modern trade
opening q new and vast field Of corn-
merce which should particularly ap.
peal to the United States in the com.
mercial extensions after the war.
The part the four great Mediter.
ranean cities have taken in this
struggle will come out more fully
closed that one of the main cause.
for Italy's entering the war was tt
throw off the domination which the
North sea cities had secured ovel
1taly's Mediterranean ports. Genos
and Naples.
The other Mediterranean cities hav.
had the same experience in falling
under domination from the NORTH
sea. Marseilles was the natural dis:
tributing point for most Of southwest
ern Europe. But it found this field
occupied and, largely controlled from
the north. Saloniki vas the natura
AHnN4Pi11ra ~ tho Ro1lrono or1 oil
southeastern Europe up to the Dan
ube. But this field was in the hands
Of the North sea cities. Salonik
counts its decline largely from thi
fact. Triest, being an Austrian city
has shared in the advantages of tn,
North sea rule, but always as an aux
Hilary OF the north, whereas 1t Is par
Of this economic struggle to-. max,
Triest an1open. port for all the world
and essentially Mediterranean 1cit,
instead of al adjunct to this. Nortl
The "45th parailer' is another *
tpressive term used In this commercial
struggle. It is the east and west. high
way. of. commerce. through entent
territory across Europe. 1t seems
also. to be a sort OF commercial bel
AROUND the world. It crosses Europ,
east and west from Bordeaux, Lyons
Milan, Belgrade, Odessa and run
close alongside the Mediterraneal
from east to west, giving land an,
water routes side by side.
The struggle to restore the Medi
terranean basin to its erights an,
throw off the domination Of tn
North sea ports. explains the lon
and tenacious stand General sarrail'
forces are making on this Salonik
front. The strictly military part Q
their functions is considerable bu
aside from these military ends, tn
entente forces along this Salonih
front are felt have a larger func
ton. to maintain the entente foothol
=, on the eastern Mediterranean until tn
whole Mediterranean basin is FIRE
from the domination Of the north.
Some military critics have asked 70
the recall Of the Saloniki expeditio,
on the ground that the many militar
divisions here could be used for tn
final blow on the western front. BIZ
1t can be, set down as certain, base
on he judgment Of those in highes
authority, that this will not be don,
for there is a larger purpose than tn
one on the military fronts-the cor
troll of the Mediterranean.
THE CRY OF THE DREAMER.