The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-30

the American navy. Even withost
its splendid record in the Wo,ss
war. the navy has justified ali ~
efforts sDent upon it.
These formerly secret but nv
published archives show that -.
the generation preceding the o NJ.
break Of the World war diplors".
In Europe was but smother nan.
for warfare, bloodless, but vifhons
conscience or consideration for ia
rights Of weak nations. The .ss'
cessful diplomacy has been tss,
which could command the sreat.,s
military force il it needed to caIi
upon it. The diplomats mast,s
what they were doing with such
fine words as peaceful penetr,.
ton, spheres of influence" ana
the like; but actually all thess
words have meant the conquest NJ
people too weak to resist. Dshina
each set Of successful diplomas
stood pOwer-armies and nayies
With these the imperialistic nations
carried on their expansion BY =.
ercion.-
Navy Racks Up Diplomats
1t is hot so long ago that tia
school Biographies showed a larrs
part OF the north coast Of Africa
belonged to Turkey. 1t was terri.
tory over which the Sultan had
either direct temporal power or the
influence that was his by virtue Of
his being the head of the NOLAN.
medan religion. Today France has
Algiers. Italy has Tripoli, and
Egypt 10 Independent. The Turks
were skilled diplomats; they were
even fierce fighters on land; but
they lacked navy strong enough
to command the respect Of their
more powerful adversaries.
And what was true Of the Medi-
terranean coast and other parts Of
Africa has been true also Of Asia.
Parts Of China were Topped of, and
its was only the firm assertion Of
an open-door policy by our own
state department that prevented
/ perhaps the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of
China. ms southern Asia and
among the rich archipelagos OF
the South Sea has the same story
| been repeated-defenseless peoples
| exploited by those who had the
power to conquer, if need be, by
: might.
| One great section of the world,
and only one. has been exempt
I from the raids of European diplo-
macy-the western hemisphere
North and South America. A hun
dred years ago this government
enunciated the Monroe doctrine and
since that time has been prepared
to maintain that doctrine by force,
principally by naval force. Az I
result, no European flag flies 81
American soil today except over
land occupied before the United
States became a nation. We can
thank force, the potential force Of
,,the American navy, floating in our
harbors or cruising up and dovn
our coasts. for our immunity. h
/ There is no reason to believe
that the same diplomatic game Is
not going forward in the same old
way. There was a brief moment in
which it seemed that the nations Of
the earth might attempt to do away
i with warfare altogether, but that
moment has passed. Militarism is
as aggressive as ever. The man
date" now substitutes for the
sphere Of influence change in
name and nothing else.
We are beginning. too, to real.
ize that most of the nations Of
Europe do not abhor war as do We
Americans. We suffered with them
i in spirit a few years ago, but now
it Is dawning on our people taas
millions Of them actually preferred
the fighting, with its assurance oil
adequate food, clothes and shelter
to a half-starving existence in cit!
slums or peasant villages. To these
swarming, thwarted populations
America is now more glitter1ne
prize than ever. They picture Vi
with our pockets heavy with gold
taken at the expense OF their pres
ent misery,
i The navy Is costing now about
$500 600, 900 h year-about cents
, day for each American house
!, hold. This is a small price TO pc!
, for the protection is gives us AMID
the frightful dangers that now be-
set the earth.