Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-06
EUROPE |SUTTLE
BUT IMPORTANT"
Physical Advantages Make
Her SO Powerful, Says
Geographic Society.

Geographic Society.
Did you ever ask yourself. Why
Is Europe important?" inquiries bull
letin from the National Geographic
'es3
South America may have revolu-
lions, nations elsewhere may topple.
China with her four hundred millions
may overturn a pre-historic mon
archy. and the world goes about its
business. undisturbed.
Let q crack-brained nobody shoot
at . European prince and every con-
tinent rocks with the Armageddon
that ensues."
The bulletin quotes from a COM
munication Of DR.. Edwin II. Grosve-
nor. who tells why the smallest, but
one. of the six continents produced
leadership"
Hardly s Continent.
or Brazil. one might question. re-
gardfng merely territorial extent.
whether Europe should be called
continent at ALL" DR.. Grosvenor
writes.
siberia exceeds it by more than
the eastern hemisphere 1t appears in
significant. 1t Is dwarfed on the south
by the ponderous bulk of Africa.
while Asia. to which 1t clings, thrusts
1t disdainfully away toward the
northwest.
teenth of the land surface and is less
than one-fiftieth of the entire surface
Of the globe, yet upon II dwell 49,
100000 human beings, more than a
fourth of all mankind. Nor are all Eu-
ropeans found in Europe. They and
their children have occupied and pop
Of which they were the discoveries.
They have partitioned and subdued to
themselves nearly the whole of Africa.
With the exception of China and
Japan they control all Asia and all
the islands of all the seas. During the
last twenty-five centuries from them
and science and thought of the world.
Reveals It's Power.
In the physical advantages Europe
possesses are revealed the causes
which have given to Europeans and
the descendants of Europeans their
unquestioned superiority.
Almost the whole of Europe is sit
uated in the northern half Of the
north temperate zone. Its extreme
northern point, the North Capes, Is
nineteen degrees from the pole. Tari-
IA. its extreme southern point. Is thir-
ty-stx degrees from the equator.
"Nowhere. except in the farthest bor-
cal limits, does excessive cold stunt body
and mind. Nowhere does excessive and
continued heat sap energy and enervate
the will No spontaneous prodigafity
Of nature removes the necessity Of ex-
ertion and induces sloth.
Here, where the air invigorates, man
must labor IL he would survive. The
rewards Of labor are reasonably sure,
but something more Is necessary than
to satisfy ono days needs The peri
odic succession. the rhythmic swing,
Of the seasons, where winter invariably
follows summer, compels him to take
thought and make some provision OF
food, shelter and clothing for the days
to come. Even slight labor and little
escaped. force him toward emergence
from the primitive and purely animal
state toward higher existence -oH I
The climate Of western Europe ID de-
termined by the gulf stream, the might
lest. most rapid and most benehcent'
hected eastward by the banks Of New
foundland, reaches the shores Of Europe,
creating on its way the exhaustless
fisheries Of the North sea-
Gets Ocean Moisture. "a :
IA no formidable barrier to breezes
from the sea is interposed. the prevail
ing winds of Europe, loaded with ocean
moisture, spread hundreds of miles In
land, relieving the excuses of the sea-
sons and fertilizing the soil. 5a=
The coast line Of Europe IL re-i
markable for its length and Its AVAIL
ability. South America Is twice and
Africa three times as large, and yet
eastern or Asiatic aide. it has longsr
coast line than that Of those two,
continents combined. North America
has double the area of Europe. Buts
except for what stretches along the
inhospitable Arctic, the sea front of
the two is nearly the same.
Europe h interested by numerous
vast. narrow. half-inland CULTS and
seas which endlessly break its con-
tour and multiply its length.
mo other body of water rivals the
uncomfortable eea which forms the
southern boundary of Europe, the
Mediterranean.
''rhe dwellers on the peninsuiar
shores of Greece and Asia Minor were
their lot to venture upon. gradually.
to understand and finally to master.
the sea. And the sea gave back some
thing greater than mere material re-
turns
Inevitably the old land kingdoms-
Egypt, Assyria, Persia, India-sub-
merged the individual in the mass.
As inevitably. in the men who, sinsly
or in groups Of twos or threes,
wrestled with and overcame the sea.
the sense Of personal Independence
was reused. This was both achieve
ment and revelation. 1t was the inn
polling motive at Marathon and In
all the struggles for freedom since
down to the present day"