Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-07
Why Europe Is Of
So Much Importance

So Much Importance
Did you ever ask yourself. Why
liz Europe Important" inquiries a
bulletin from the National G~eograph-
!c Society.
South America may have revolu-
tons, nations elsewhere may topple,
| China with her four hundred millions
may overturn a prehistoric mon
archy, and the world goes about its
business undi.turbed.
LET q crack-brained nobody shoot
at a European prince and every con-
tinent rocks with the Armaseddon
that %ensues."
The bulletin quotes from a COM
| m~unication of DIR. Edwin H. Grosve-
| nor who tells why the smallest, but
one Of the six continents produced
such practical monopoly of univer-
sal leadership"
"Of about the same size as Canada
or Brazil, one might question. re-
gardins merely territorial extent.
whether Europe should be called g.
continent at ALL" DR.. Grosvenor
writes.
siberia exceeds it by more than
a million sQuare miles. On the map
Of the Eastern Hemisphere 1t ap-
pears insignificant. 1t is dwarfed on
~ SOuth W thc polfdSi ooS Ouih VI
Africa, while Asia, to which 1t clinEs.
thrusts it disdainfully away toward
the northwest.
Europe does not equal one-four-
teenth of the land surface and is less
than one-fiftieth of the entire sur
face OF the globe; yet upon it dwell
$50. 900, 600 human beings, more than
a fourth Of all mankind. Nor are all
Europeans found in Europe. They
n their children have occupied and
populated the whole Western Hemi-
sphere, Of which they were the dis
coverers. 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 an the
seas. During the last twenty-five
centuries from them as from a focus
have. radiated the art and science and
thought Of the world.
I'm the physical advantages Eur
p possesses are revealed the causes
which have given to Europeans and
the descendants Of Europeans their
unquestioned superiority.
Almost the whole Of Europe is
situated in the northern half of the
North Temperate Zone. Its extreme.
northern point. the North Cape, is
nineteen degrees from the pole.
Tarifa. its extreme southern point,
is t~hirty-sfx degrees from the equa-
tor.
Nowhere. except in the farthest
boreal limits. does excessive cold
stunt body n mind. Nowhere does
excessive and continued heat sap en-
ergy and e%nervate the will. Nc spon-
taneous prodigality of Nature re-
moves the necessity Of exertion and
induces sloth.
Here, where the air i~nvigorates,
markable for its length and its avail
The rewards of labor are reasonably
sure, but something more ia neces-
sary than to satisfy one days needs.
The periodic succession. the rhyth-
mic swing of the seasons, where
winter invariably follows summer,
compels him to. take thought and
make some provision of. food, shell
ter. and clothing for the days to
come. Even slight labor and little
rorethought. neither of which can be
escaped. force him toward emergence
from the primitive and purely animal
state toward higher existence.
THE climate of western Europe is
determined by the Gulf Stream, the
mightiest, most rapid and most en-
eticent Of ocean currents. Its heated
mass, detected eastward by the
banks of Newfoundland. reaches the
shores Of Europe, creating on its
"SJ IAN VI IL
North Sea.
LAS no formidable barrier to
breezeS from the sea is interposed,
the prevailing winds of Europe, load
ed with ocean moisture, spread hun
dreds of miles inland, relieving the
excuses of the season. and fertilizing
the soil.
The coast-line of Europe Is re-
markable for it's length and tbs avail
ability. South America Is twice and
Africa three times as large, and yet,
although Europe is landlocked on its
eastern or Asiatic side, 1t has a long
er coast-line tina that of those two
continents combined. North America
has double the area of Europe. But,
except for what stretches along the
inhospitable Arctic, the sea front OF
the two Is nearly the same.
Europe Is intersected by numer.
Gus vast, narrow, half-inland CULTS
and seas which endlessly break its
contour and multiply its length.
N other body Of water rivals the
Incompatible sea which forms the
southern boundary of Europe, the
Mediterranean.
'The dwellers> Ion the peninsulal
shores of Greece and Asia Minol
were impelled by the circumstance!
of their lot to venture upon, gradu'
ally to understand, and finally t.
master the sea. And h sea gav'
back something greater than mer'
material returns.
Inevitably the old land Kingdoms
Egypt. Assyria, Persia. India, sub
merged the individual in the mass
AS Inevitably, in the men who singl,
or in groups Of twos or threes wres
tied with and overcome the sea-. tn
sense of personal independence wa
reused. This was both achievement
and revelation. 1t was the impellinl
motive at Marathon and In all tn,
struggles for freedom since down t
the present day"