The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-08-01
ONE STAKE IN THE GAME.

The situation in Africa before the pres
e Mt war throws at least sidellght on the
ca use of the jealousy and the hatred
which Germany felt of England and
Franc c. Africa is large continent,
larger by A per cent than the whole OF
North America and a little more than
three times larger than the United States
INC iudine Alaska OF this vast country,
rich in natural resources, England held
little more than one-third. France own
ed almost two fifths, while Germany held
less than one-twelfth. The rest of the
''darR continent was held by Spain,
Portugal. Italy and Belgium. About all
The real Africa which remained was the
great desert All these European nations,
esue cialIy England, France and Germany,
have been intriguing for years to grab
African territory, because there could be
obtained raw materials at low cost
Many people assume that Africa is most
ly desert, but it has twenty tunes as
much productive soil as England, France
and Germany combined have in Europe,
and It's extended latitude not only makes
possible the production of every thing
which these countries produce but many
other things. England and France owned
more than eight times as much of these
lands as did Germany, and the latter
country found itself overweighted in the
race for industrial and commercial SUI
premacy. Germany knew that if she at
tempted to drive England and France out
of Africa the fatherland would be invad-
ed and devastation would follow in the
track Of the invaders. She preferred to
fight in Belgium and in France and let
them suffer the devastation. She could
see that after England and France were
defeated she could steal their African
possessions and those of Portugal, Spain,
Italy and Belgium at the same time. Ger
many believed that Russia would be
weak ally against her and in this she
was hight, as events have proved. When
she entered Belgium she was thoroughly
equipped and supplied for long war, but
expected to achieve victory within
year Our spineless attitude during the
fir st months of the submarine warfare led
her to believe that we were either a
Nation of towards or were hypnotized by
comm ercialism. She saw that the |. w.
W. was defiant, that pacfists were unre-
buked and that her propaganda here was
allow ed to do it's work without molesta-
ton. She had no fear of the United
States Here is where she made fatal
mistake, and she soon realized that fact
Her confidence then changed to despera-
BILE, and that her hope of wrestling Africa
rom her enemies could have no fruition.
TIL en- she fastened to complete the Sc
duction of Russia which had already been
commenced. The primary object of this
was, of course, to get Russia out of the
war, but the secondary object was to &C
quire her lands by force and claim them
at the peace table. as theirs by conquest.
Germany has felt the pangs of land hum
ger for many years. The German empire
Europe is in area 81 per cent less THANH
the State of Texas and it's population is
nearly two-thirds as large as that OF the
United States. The need of territorial
expansion is imperative. Well may Ger
many be desperate. Defeat looms big
before her. Her African possessions are
irretrievably lost. She will be forced to
retire from Russia. All Nations distrust
her and most Nations hate her Without
raw materials she cannot manufacture
She cannot produce these and nowhere
can she buy them freely if at all. Ger
many knows that if defeated she will