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PRO PATRIA
207
stones. It is true that Russia has enlarged her territory
by conquest, and it is equally true that all other States
have done likewise provided there was any possibility to do
so. The political configuration of the territory of a State
has always and everywhere shaped itself in accordance with
the free play of conflicting forces. Where the force of
resistance was equal to the force of attack the State frontiers
remained stationary, but they were extended when the
force on the other side of the frontier was not strong enough
to oppose the invasion. The British Empire is no exception
to this. Or are we to believe that the different parts of
the greatest Empire that ever existed chose to combine
together by self-determination ? No, the British Empire
grew even as Russia did by the same principle of subduing
weaker nations. If other countries did not succeed in
attaining the proportions of Russia or the British Empire,
it was simply because they had no possibility of doing so.
Russia cannot be blamed for a mode of procedure common
to all States.
The prophecy that "it is improbable that the various
parts of the late Tsardom will be put together again " is
unlikely of fulfilment, since it is to their advantage to bind
together as a powerful political unit, and to assist each
other economically. Western Siberia needs the ports of
Southern Russia as an outlet for its industry and commerce,
and the same may be said of Central European Russia in
regard to Northern and North-Western Russia. The
Caucasus and Central Asia without the support of Russia are
open to Turkish aggression, and must, therefore, safeguard
themselves against such an eventuality. Little Russia will
have to rejoin Great Russia as a matter of course, belonging
as they do to the same racial stock. Such centripetal
movement will be the more assured as the different parts of the
previous empire enjoy Home Rule and autonomy.
Is not the history of Russia in itself a guarantee against
the splitting up of her territory ? Has not Russia had a
long and victorious past, thereby abundantly proving her
vital energy ? Did she not succeed in becoming one of
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