The Daily News. MONDAY, JANUARY 9. THE WORLD AT WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 228, 9 January 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, JANUARY 9. THE WORLD AT WAR.

The year that lias just ended was one j during which few outstanding armed con- i ilicts took place between nations, and even the Portuguese armed conflicts took ] more of the nature of a diplomatic coup ' f on the part of the Republicans than a ; serious conflict involving the loss of much ; human life. But despite the fact that active hostility was at a minimum, the world was undoubtedly and still is at war. Human nature does not change. • The instincts of all virile people is for ' aggrandisement, possession and progress. •Bloodless fighting proceeds between France and Germany, between Russia and Japan, between Australia and the East, and so on. The outstanding feature of the world's unrest is that immense changes are everywhere threatened, and that many countries intend to achieve their ambitions at whatever cost. The ambition of Turkey is a phase that concerns every statesman in Europe. The Turk has not changed any more than the Englishman has. The fact that a Young Turkish Party rules has not killed the Turkish instinct for military achievement at the point of the sword or by diplomacy, cunning, or whatever you care to call it. Any determined conflict between Greece and Turkey might serve to show other nations that their instincts for aggression still survived the march of the centuries. Germany finds herself over-populated and lacking colonies. She therefore wishes to obtain foothold in Asia Minor, not only to dispose of the surplusage, but for the expansion of her ambitious commerce. Germany, therefore, enters into partnership with Turkey. The entente is already arranged. Greek weakness becomes weaker still under the new conditions. The Turks, burning with Moslem fervor, bitterly resent Greek treatment of Moslems in Crete. There is now no possibility of an understanding with Turkey cither by France or Britain, and this has had the effect of further strengthening the entente covdiale between Gaul and Albion. France plainly told the "Young Egyptians" that she would not allow them to hold an anti-British conference in Paris. It has been suggested in influential French circles that France should defend the Mediterranean, that Malta and Gibraltar should be garrisoned by the French in order that Britain might be able to defend with greater surety the North Sea and the British Channel. The fact that the British and French were rivals for about eight hundred years is not lightly brushed aside, and Britain will not even in its great love for the tri-color permit it to wave over the route to India. There is no peace, but at present there is a minimum of bloodshed. To illustrate the general unrest it is interesting to point in Morocco, which several nations covet. Germany, France and Spain all want it. They want it somehow, whether by war, diplomacy or purchase. Germany shows the greater determination, spurred by its passion for expansion of commerce and territory. Britain could have obtained a huge tract of rich mineral, country in Morocco for a minimum price, but hesitated. Germany stepped in and paid ten times the price offered. Germany, therefore, now has a legal standing in Morocco. Germany on possession of this tract of land—we are not

sure that it was not prior to this—badly wanted a coaling st«tiori~on the coast of Morocco. She will renew her demands. Diplomatists hold that Britain must absolutely refuse this demand unless she is ready to acknowledge the bloodless defeat of the British Xavy. Recently a German statesman, in outlining the programme of Germany's ambitions, remarked that "Germany must expand or burst." That is to soj', if she cannot expand peacefully, she will expand with the help of the "mailed fist." It is held that if the explosion occurs it will lie in the North Sea, and it is certainly on the Xorth Sea that the eyes of statesmen find admirals are fixed. The biggest of all international tasks at the present time is to please Britain and Germany and to give each what each wants. It has been suggested that war might be prevented (supposing it is believed that ulI timatc war is inevitable) by a mutual ! understanding. Tn short, the idea is that Britain might help Germany to colonise territory in Asia Minor in order that Germany's ambitions should not be thwarted. It is supposed that Tinder this system the glories of departed nations would be re-established. The suggestion has arisen because it is absolutely necessary that Britain should retain command of the seas, and because it would be move reasonable for her to retain it peacefully than a devastating war. It might be assumed that threats of war do not indicate international desires for bloodshed, but the ambitions of the nations to obtain what they covet. Because the old instinct survives and the hell-broth simmers in Europe other ways of achieving ambitions than war seem impossible. But international diplomacy and amicable

help in the solution of great questions may at least postpone armed conflict. It is, however, a little unlikely that this century should be the particular one in which the whole instincts of individuals and nations should undergo an entire change.