of the world and govern them from Washington. The League of Nations was to be essentially nothing more than a world monopoly of "Yankee and Co."
The President of the United States, the great Prophet of Platitudes, had descended from Mt. Sinai to conquer the world with his Fourteen Commandments. Stockbrokers, ministers and men of business entertained no illusion whatever regarding the meaning of this new revelation. The European "Socialists" on the other hand, baked on the Kautskian oven, got into a religious transport, and danced like King David following in the wake of the Wilsonian ark.
But in coming down to practical questions the American apostle learned that in spite of the excellent exchange rate of the dollar, England still occupies, as heretofore, the first place on all sea routes which connect and divide nations, for she has the strongest navy, the longer cables and the greater experience in world plunder. Another obstacle in Wilson's path was the Soviet Republic and Communism. Thus the American Messiah resentfully deserted the League of Nations, which has become one of England's diplomatic offices, and turned his back upon Europe.
It would be childish, however, to suppose that American Imperialism, its first advance thwarted by England, is going to lock itself up within the shell of the Monroe doctrine. By no means. The United States is planning to create its own international system with its center in North America; both the Republican and Democratic parties stand by the policy of continuing to subject the entire American continent, convert all the countries of Central and South America into colonial dependencies, and thus create a counterpart to the English League of Nations. This end is to be achieved by means of a naval program, which in 3 to 5 years will create a navy surpassing that of Great Britain. This being a matter of life and death for English Imperialism, it results in a frenzied shipbuilding rivalry between the two giants, accompanied by a no less frenzied scramble for petroleum.
France, which had expected to play the part of arbiter between England and the United States, but which has herself like one of the lesser planets been drawn into the orbit of Great Britain, now finds herself unbearably burdened by the League of Nations and is trying to rid herself of it by fanning antagonism between England and the United States.
Thus the greatest Powers are preparing the ground for a new world encounter.
Instead of liberating the small nationalities the War has brought ruination and enslavement upon the Balkan nations, both victors and vanquished, and has Balkanized a considerable part of Europe. Actuated by their Imperialist interests the conquerors
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