The Story of Russia

When we think of our country we feel proud of it for other and better reasons than its great size. We know how its extent compares with that of other nations; we know that the United States covers an area almost equal to that of Europe and more favored than that Grand Division is situated on the two great highways of commerce the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Europe is as far from the latter as Asia is from the former; and these highways powerful means toward creating prosperity remain at the same time barriers whereby nations that find greater delight in the arts of war than in those of peace are restrained from disturbing our national progress. At the beginning of this twentieth century the nations upon which depends the world's peace or war happiness or misfortune are the United States Great Britain Germany France Austria-Hungary Italy Russia Japan and in the near future China. Here we see that Europe although little larger in area than the United States is represented by seven nations Asia by two and the Western Hemisphere by one which by its institutions stands for peace and progress for law and order. Hence we its citizens are known all over the world as Americans.