TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-03-22
DOES ENGLAND COVET
GERMANY'S COL

The po-alhes press Ia this country, and its sponsors and satellites
deny with much vehenence the allegation that not the least Of Englands
reasons for and determination in conducting the war to the possible limit
4 her resources, is the permanent annexation Of Gemanys colonies, an
aim which may mean a smious obstacle to the conclusion Of an early peace
How well q Ill founded such allegations are may be illuminated by a short
reueW y Engiands political history OF the past $50 years. Present day
happenings and protestations Of altruishc motives For humanftys sake"
protection Of small nations, democracy" etc. gain much IN significance
when considered IN the Light Of past events
Commencing with the 10th century when catholic Spain andportu0ai held
The stage as world empresintrepid explorers Of these nations had discovered
new worlds Or new routes to old ones, and opened the treasure chambers
Of these Eldorados. The fabulous wealth from those oversee possessions IN
which England had no share caused her great anguish and insomnia. Thea
one Francis Drake and others organized a system Of piracy, and laid in
wait for the Spanish ships, gold laden from the new world. Not for gain,
Danish the thought-no, but to wrest power from Rome and for civil.
cation and progress and as champions of the protestant faith. Ii should be
noted, however that woe beided the naval commander" who returned from
one Of his buccaneering exploits without rich booty Of gold and silver. The
Spanish Armada was built TO put Al end to Engands depredatons, such
as robbing and burning Spanish ships in their home ports Of Vigo and
Cadiz Drake destroyed $50 ships in the latter place in 1857 as related by
Reventlow in his vampire Of the continent. Queen Elizabeth celebrated
the failure Of the Spanish expeditions By striking q coin with an inscrip
ton credung the destruction Of the Armada to divine grace, and Drake
the pirate was made a peer and a national hero. To harass Spain, England
had befrended Holland, always, Of course, under the preext Of defending
professionalism. but IS soon as she had helped the Dutch to Independence
from Spain she was Immediately concerned about Holland, itself be-
coming a strong sea power and a possible rival However in spite of all
England could do to prevent ii, Holland prospered and its colonies
Rounshedb much to Engands chagrn- In East India in the Indian Ocean,
in North America and South Africa, the Netherlands offered a refuge for
some Of the best elements Of emigration from the old countries during the
thirty years war, which for the time being made her the greatest sea power
in the 18th century, and that, Of course, would never do for the glory Of
God and the peace Of England. It was CromweIs view that England could
not tolerate such a competitor on the other side Of the channel, 50 he
caused the celebrated Navigation Act, to be passed, by which it was for
hidden to carry foreign feights to English ports in other than English
ships. Cromwell also insisted on the right Of searching neutral ships for
goods belonging to her enemies. Under the fright of search" morally
pure and pious England pirates could satisfy their rapacty to their hearts
content and innumerabe neutral vessels were captured and brought before
English prize courts When the Dutch Indignantly protesed, the English
Admiral Black attacked the Dutch fleet on the pretext that their Admiral
Yam TrOmp had refused to salute the English flag An example Of Eng
lands intigues was the making Of a temporary peace with Holland To-
secure its help, and the help Of Sweden, against Louis XIV Of France
-Four years later the English Admiral Holmes attacked a Dutch trading
fleet from the Leyant, just as it was entering the channel France and
England were united shortly thereafter, and in 1874 Holland acknowledged
English supremacy of the seas. A large part Of the Spanish and Dutch
colonies fell into Engands hands and the English trading fleet was in
creased extensively by seizng Dutch ships.
After the thirty years war, France became the strongest European
power, and also ranked nigh in maritime and colonial strength. In Canada
and the present United States, French explorers opened up for their country
immense territories, which made it the foremost nation in America. AS
soon as England became aware Of this dangerous new rival las told by
an English historan), Enghnds greatest men proclaimed Louis the XIV.
as the enemy Of European peace, and, therefore, Of England, although he
had but shortly helped England against the Dutch on land and sea.
Then came q series of wars between continental powers, inclusive ofI
Turkey and Austria, wherein England always managed to secretly play into
the hands Of either one d the other so as to keep them at Ioggeheads,I
coming out in the end as the only one to reap any real advantages. Dis
raei once said: "Engiands influence has never been stronger than when
her motives have not been suspected OF Englanfs part played in the
war Of the Spanish succession, the late Admiral Mahan, a noted anglo
phne, writes:
England meanwhile was building a navy, strengthening, extending andl
protecting her commerce. Selling maritime positions, in a word, founding
and rearing her sea power upon the ruins Of that Of her rivals, friends and
foes alike
It was at that time that she stole Gibraltar.
The middle Of the 18th century brings us to the part played by England
during the seven years war, and Englands opportunity to steal Francois
colonial possessions, with the immorable incident Of capturing 800 French
ships in the Bay Of Bmcay six months before a declaration Of war. Cir
with England, and without his grenaders England could not have
driven France out Of Canada and would not be a world power today
Frederick was fighting for the existence Of Prussia, England for her purse
AS a result Of the war England received Canada. FIudda and all the ter
rtory east Of the Mississippi. How shamefuny England treated Prussia
as soon a peace was made with France is matter Of history. Pitt spoke
truly when he saids We have won Canada in Germany"
During these maritime vars all neutrals had to suffer materially from
Engands arrogance on the seas, so that finally France and Spain allied
themselves with Russia, Sweden and Denmark and formed the ARMED
neutrality Of the Baltic under Russian leadership, for the purpose ofl
offering joint resistance to the monstrous claims and unsuitable greed oil