Evening star., 1919-03-02
America
ny BERNARD ASTON.
STOCKHOLM, February 1s.

ling prediction of some far-sight-
ed politicians and economists.
who sec no salvation for the battered
and tattered continent except volun-
tary submission to a benevolent Amer
lean yoke, in exchange for which
America is to help bring back the old
prosperity.
Here history is repeating itself, for
few victorious wars have ended with
out the victor having to shoulder re-
sponsibilities Of which he never
dreamed. America experienced that
in the Philippines, In relation to
America Europe Is today Il greater
Philippines. America has the ability
to save it, but she cannot save 1t with
out serious damage to herself unless
she assumes great measure of po-
litical control. The expected American
ruling" of Europe would be a tenn
porary affair, but 1t would certainly
last for years. and might last for dec
AIDES.
Such American hegemony in Europe
would realize two prophecies, both of
them German. The first prophet was
the political economist and creator of
'educative protectionism." Friedrich
List, who lived in America and helped
to build the first American railroads.
Last predicted that America would
gain political control of Russia as re-
suit of her being intrusted with the
1ny nInn
sources. The czarS would have to
reconcile themselves to losing some
of their independence,
The other prophet was Prof. Adolph
Wagner, ablest and most dangerous
of German economic jinEoes, Wagner
predicted year before the war broke
out that an European struggle would
give the United States not only tnau-
cial but also political domination of
Europe. Europe" he said, will be
utterly exhausted by it's first expert
ment of lighting with million strong
armies, and when the struggle is over
America viii be fresh and vigorous
and those of the European countries
which are most exhausted will in
evitably fall under American control"
wagner, as an unfriendly critic of
America declared that this was
conscious American design. No one
believes that today the prevailing view
Is that America viii be forced against
her viii into exercising political con-
troll Germany was already reconciled
to the prospect when an American
economic commission arrived from
Trier In Berlin. American control"
wrote the Munich Nachrichten must
result from Europe's general exhaus-
tion. Europe depends for her exist
ence Oh American supplies But Eu-
rope cannot supply America with any
thing in return. Europe must there
fore buy on credit, which means that
she must negotiate vast payment loans
in America.
in view of the unstable political
condition of most of Europe--that Is.
of Russia, Germany. Rumania. Bull
garia and the new countries carved
out of Austria ungary-America Will
certainly exact guarantees In the shape
Of political control. In fact. she al
ready did that when she refused to
send foodstuffs to possible bolshe-
vized Germany. And this process will
go much farther, We may see Ameri-
can experts attached to the reichbank
ard the Austro- Hungarian Bank. This
may not be palatable to European
pride, but the only alternative is to
Starye on our own resources.
X
All the time this was writer the
intransigeant bolsheviks of Russia
taitic W tHS Stilt tpilCluSloll II boi-
shevism," threatened Nicholas Lenin in
November, fails in it's campaign
against hunger, America will be called
in, and this means that American po-
litical ways will supersede bolshevik
ways. Should Russia ruin herself
financially she viii have to seek aid
from abroad, and that will mean that
she will have to accept foreign direc-
ton of her policy at home and abroad"
No one believes that the United
States political control VIII extend to
the entente countries These are less
exhausted than the rest of Europe,
and as they are politically stable
they are well able to secure their bor-
rowings. But the central powers. kus-
sta and the Balkans will long be po-
ltically dependent. Even II America
should refuse to give them pound
of foodstuffs or raw material their
chief Indebtedness will be toward
America Most of them will have debts
to entente countries, which, in turn,
have borrowed heavily from America;
and in the general clearing of ac-
counts Germany, Austria and Russia
Will be Americas debtors.
Under their present conditions these
countries cannot pay these debts In
any value worth having. Russia has
in circulation about fifty billions OF
paper money backed by probie-