Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1910 — Poor Heligoland. [ARTICLE]

Poor Heligoland.

An Important proposal has been made in Germany with regard to the island of Heligoland, ofT the mouth of the Elbe River. Despite vast expenditure It continues to crumble away. The proposal Is, unless some scheme of preserving it can be found, to blow It up. Apparently the Idea is that In the event of war Heligoland would need to be very strongly defended, and used as an advance base of operations against Germany. The trouble does not lie with the risk of its being seized so much as with the strain of having to defend it. Heligoland, says Fred T. Jane, the English naval writer, has become a political barometer. If Germany destroys the island It will mean an end to all doubtfuf relations between England and Germany. It may, however, mean determination for peace Just as well as determination for war, but It will certainly mean the end of any middle course.