The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1917. DREAMS OF UNIVERSAL EMPIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1917. DREAMS OF UNIVERSAL EMPIRE.

It was the late Queen of Roumania who wrote: "The sad and inad longing, for power; an,d the grasping of it, has brought mort miser) into the world than the phantom i? worth.'-' How true this is every student of history knows, remarks a Southehrn contemporary. In ancient times, Xerxes, Alexander, and Tamerlane vainly sought to subdue the earth, and deluged whole countries with blood in the endeavor. Coming to more modern times, on no lew than four occasions in the course of the last four centuries a European ruler has become so powerful and ambitious that he has sought to win the overlordshijj of Europe, and thereby of the world. The first was Philip II". of Spain, who sought the subjugation and conversion o f England by mean, of the Great Armada; the second. Louis XIV. of France; then Napoleon the Great; now, last, William 11. of Germany. And four times have less powerful States formed a coalition against tnem and defeated their projects. At the beginning of last century Napoleon spoke of France as ''the arbiter of Europe,' a "superior Power" with a natural mission to "control other Powers"—precisely the same claims put forward by Germany t'o-day, and in almost tla name words. Xapoleon failed, and ended his days a prisoner at St. Helena. But Napoleon's failure seems to lmv. made .little impression in Germany. Sombart only expresses thi vaulting ambition of the whole German nation when he says: "Just as the eagle, the German bird, soars high above all the creeping things of the earth (other peoples!), so the German feels himself exalted above all the surrounding peoples, which he sees In fathomless depths beneath him.' Bismarck, again, used to say in his blunt fashion: "There is no question ol right; we have the might, and we mean to make the most of it." Again and again German- writers and soldiers have spoken of Germany's mission and intention to "dominate Europe." The Kaiser himself has arrogated to himself high-sounding titles—the "German Michael standing in shining armor," the "Admiral of the 'Pacific," etc., and boasts of Germany's destiny*—"uber alles" ("over all").

As we look back across the plains of history, wc see how the dream of uni-

versa] empire, inherited from the Romans, each time suffered shipwreck. And so it is proving in the present instance. In car!: of curlier -ensns territories were invttdwl :;::d .-onqucred, (•owr.s and villages (totroicj. multitudes of people slaughtered. vK*pca liable misery caused; yet the attrwpt sfc universal dominion failed. And itwill fail in the ease of fJcrmaßV; c 0 it must ever fail, The world, composed of divers races with divers languages and creeds, will never sybmit' to be dominated by a single nation or a single' man, however powerful. Drunk with military pride, and aiming at the domination of the world; devoid of truth and honor; relentless, merciless:- not content with being powerful, seeking to be all-powerful, Germany has, like previous tyrants, ruthlossiy destroyed and enslaved But ther. are indications that her hour of retribution is approaching. Exhausted in men and means; bankrupt financially and morally, she will before long be brought to her knees and beg for the peace she denied to others. In that day we hope that the Allies will exact such a penalty as will make any future attempt at world-dominion on Germany's part an impossibility, and discourage for all future time such attempts on the part of any other Power. It is but just to our own Mother Land and nation to remember that in all the above instances the British people took a leading and heroic part, fighting not only for their own liberties, but far those of the whole European family. Tbey are doing so still, aven our enemies admitting with bitterness and hatred that it is to Britain's efforts that their many failures have been chiefly due. And we shad fight on until victory i? attained, sincerely believing that our cause is not only ours, but that of humanity, and therefore tliflt of the Creatoi Himself.