The Marshaling of the Nations

HAVE you noticed that the power, and even the territory, of this whole world is fast falling to the control of a very few nations? I lave you not been impressed with the thought that the movements of the great nations of to-day are strictly world-movements—movements that really affect the whole world? No doubt you have. Possibly you have not. But, whether you have or not, you are here invited to a short study of this subject with the writer of this pamphlet. Come. MON 3.1

It is the truth that only five powers now control practically this whole world. Britain, Russia, the United States, Germany, and France are these five powers. Notice the scope of each one of these. MON 3.2

Britain proper, beginning in the British Isles, extends her power over all the body of Africa from the Mediterranean Sea to the Cape of Good Hope; over Arabia, Lidia, and the heart of China; over Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and many of the islands of the Pacific Ocean; and over British North America. MON 3.3

Russia begins in Europe at the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea and extends her power eastward over all the territory north of the fortieth parallel clear to Bering Straits; and in the heart of Asia southward even to the Persian Gulf. MON 3.4

The United States, with her own proper territory stretching across the North-American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific, has extended her power over Cuba and Porto Rico, and by the Monroe Doctrine over all of the Western Continent to the southward; ¹ and to the westward over the islands of Hawaii, Wake, Tutuila, Guam, and the Philippines, to the very door of China, which “door” she insists shall remain “open.” MON 4.1

Germany, having her own proper seat in Central Europe, extends her power over a portion of East Africa, also two portions in West Africa, a portion of China; and over the Solomon, the Caroline, and a part of the Samoan, Islands, in the Pacific Ocean. MON 4.2

France, having her own proper territory in Northwestern Europe, extends her power over northern Africa; holds a portion of West-central Africa—from Lake Tchad to the River Dua and the Lower Congo and the sea; the island of Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa; a portion of Southern China; and many islands in the Pacific Ocean. MON 4.3

From this sketch and the accompanying map, ² of it is clearly seen that these five powers—Britain, Russia, the United States, Germany, and France—actually hold in their hands the power and the greater part of the territory, of this whole world. There are, it is true, a few other nations, such as Japan, Italy, Austria, the Scandinavian countries, Portugal, Holland, Belgium, and Spain; but what power have they in the presence of these five? What could they do against these five, or without the consent of these five? This, even though they were all united against the five. But the truth is that several of these are working hand in hand with members of the five, and so are to be counted as practically included in the five; such is Belgium, who works with France in West-central Africa, and with Russia and France in China; such is Italy, who works with Britain on the coast of China, and in the Upper Nile; such is Portugal, who works with Germany and Britain in East Africa. MON 4.4

Such is unquestionably the situation as it is on the earth to-day; and by the steady course of these five powers, this situation is being pressed more and more upon the attention of all people. These powers themselves recognize the fact that they are dividing up the world among themselves. At the opening of the German Parliament in December, 1899, Count Von Buelow said: “We can not stand aside, dreaming, while others undertake the partition of the globe.” MON 5.1