The Progress of the World. 623 



the Imperial Government, to consist of eloquence of Lord Haldane or Mr. 

 three super-Dreadnoughts and nine Churchill, has refuted the alarms 

 first-class armoured cruisers, to cost of the venerable Field-Marshal. The 

 anything from twenty to twenty-five German peril is rapidly being dis- 

 millions sterling. The idea is that the sipated into thin air by the in- 

 vessels should be stationed in the Red evitable sequel of the volcanic Up- 

 Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Indian burst in the Balkans, and by the brood 

 Ocean. The scheme is said to be only of British fleets that are springing up in 

 in its infancy. But if this rumour is every sea. 



confirmed, then, indeed, the offer is The result of the 

 worthy of the most grandiose tradi- The Professor as American Presidential 

 tions of the gorgeous East. A great President-Eiect. Election was more de- 

 stroke will have been struck for a more cisive than had been ex- 

 generous recognition of our Indian sub- pected. Of seats in the Electoral 

 jects and allies in the Councils of the College, Dr. Woodrow Wilson obtained 

 Empire. And we seem to be drawing 413, or nearly four-fifths ; Mr. Roose- 

 perceptibly nearer the time when the velt, 106 ; and Mr. Taft, 12 ! Dr. 

 seas of the world will be completely Wilson's return and Mr. Taft's defeat 

 policed by our Imperial Navy, and war were generally expected, but not so 

 upon the high seas shall be suppressed great a gulf between. The actual votes 

 as relentlessly as piracy. The whole cast for the three candidates showed 

 story supplies an impressive com- them much nearer. Roughly, six and a 

 mentary upon the voluntary tendency half million voted for Wilson, over four 

 of modern government. Even the grim million for Roosevelt, and three million 

 realities of defence are supplied, not by eight hundred thousand for Taft. It is 

 coercive enactment, but by voluntary true that over ten millions voted for the 

 co-operation. A large part of our first traditional parties and only four for a 

 fighting line is supplied by spontaneous party of revolt. But Dr. Wilson's record, 

 gifts from the self-swayed Dominions as well as Mr. Roosevelt's votes, meant 

 who speak our tongue, from the dusky a smashing of " the machine " on both 

 Protectorates that are sheltered by our sides and a victory for normal citizen- 

 flag, and from the independent princes ship. The election also curiously illus- 

 of many-peopled India. Was ever a trates the growing ascendancy of 

 moral triumph so great and wide wit- Plato's ideal in politics. He would have 

 nessed on this earth before ? Lord his Republic ruled by philosophers. 

 Roberts pursues his unpatriotic task of That conception is more nearly realised 

 belittling the Territorial forces as " a in modern Germany than probably in 

 make-believe army," and tries to scare any other great State on earth. The 

 us into compulsory military service by Fatherland is practically ruled by an 

 ever more strident insistence on the oligarchy of professors. Even the 

 German peril. But the actual course dominant military caste is " Science in 

 of events, more effectually than the a pickelhaube." But here, to the 



