The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol. 1, January 9, 1915: What Americans Say to EuropeVarious
Philosophy
The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol. 1, January 9, 1915: What Americans Say to Europe
Various
World War, 1914-1918
You continually lay stress upon the danger of the domination of Germany
in Europe and in the world. I believe I have already made myself quite
clear in my recent NEW YORK TIMES interview, which has called forth this
correspondence between us, that neither would I wish to have Germany
come into a position where it might dominate Europe, and more or less
the world, nor do I believe that the German Nation, except perhaps a
handful of extremists, has any such desires.
I believe I have also made myself quite clear in the interview to which
I have referred that my feelings are not anti-English, for I shall never
forget that liberal government and all forms of liberalism have had
their origin, ever since the Magna Charta, in that great nation whom we
so often love to call our cousins. But, with all of this, can you ignore
the fact that England even today, without the further power and prestige
victory in the present conflict would give her, practically dominates
the high seas, that she treats the ocean as her own and enforces her
dictates upon the waters even to our very shores? That this is true the
past four months have amply proved. I am not one of those who fear that
the United States, as far as can now be foreseen, will get into any
armed conflict with Great Britain or with Japan, her permanent ally, but
I can well understand that many in our country are of a different
opinion, and it takes no prophet to foresee that, with England coming
out of this war victorious and her and Japan's power on the high seas
increased, the demand from a large section of our people for the
acquisition and possession of the United States of an increased powerful
navy and for the erection of vast coast defenses, both on the Atlantic
and Pacific shores, will become so insistent that it cannot be
withstood. What this will mean to the American people in lavish
expenditures and in increased taxation I need not here further go into.
Yes, my dear and revered friend, I can see nought but darkness if a way
cannot be soon found out of the present deplorable situation as it
exists in Europe.
But even if the Allies are victorious it will mean, as I am convinced,
the beginning of the descent of England as the world's leader and the
hastened ascendency of Russia, who, not today or tomorrow, but in times
to come, is sure to crowd out England from the world's leadership. A
Russia that will have become democratic in its government, be it as a
republic or under a truly constitutional monarchy; a Russia in which
education will be as free as it is in our own country; a Russia in which
the people can move about and make homes in the vast territory she
possesses wherever they can find most happiness and prosperity; a Russia
with its vast natural resources of every kind fully developed, is bound
to be the greatest and most powerful nation on the earth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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