The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-07-11
campaign.

lHE LOlluOH Iedcc DOClety, VI WlllCli
Mr.. John Bright was an active and elo-
quent leader some twenty years ago. is
now represented in the House of Commons
by Mr.. Richards, member from one of
the Welsh boroughs, and secretary of the
society. Last Tuesday he brought up
the question whether there might be, by
arrangement among the nations, dscon-
tinuance of war on sea and land, which has
so long been regarded as necessary, not
alone for the purposes of war but Tor
the maintenance Of peace, and moved
that sin the .opninon of the house her
maiesty's government should communicate
with foreign powers for the purpose of inn
proving international law, and with view
of establishing arbitration as a permanent
resort for the settlement OF differences be-
tween nations.o The argument and the
statistics which Mr.. Richards brought for
ward in support of this motion have
been fully ventilated by the advocates Of
peace in all civilized countries most
extensively of all, perhaps, in this country.
Mr.. Richards stated that he had re-
ceived numerous letters from America
expressing satisfaction with his proposition.
The apprehension of war, he tersely de-
clared, kept four millions of men perpet-
ually in arms throughout Europe, rendered
necessary taxation of $2,000,00 900 q
year, and the payment of $750,000,000 in
annual interest upon national war debts.
The value of labor withdrawn from indus
try, by deyoting millions of able-bodied
men to war purposes, was estimated at
s1,250, 100000 yearly. Moreover. the
consumption in Germany, which forced
every man to begin life with some years of
soldering, and kept him liable to
military service until he had passed
the period of middle age, had
forced on emigration as relief,
and was thereby depopulating the country
while Russia, France and Italy were fnan-
cially crippled, year after year, by the ex-
pense Of their vast military establish
ments. The brief reply Of Mr.. Gladstone,
who appeared to pooh-pooh the inquiry in
the free-and-easy manner Of Lord Palmer
ston, that the motion would defeat its own
object, because the Continental nations
held views much opposed to it, was
impatient and illogical. What Mr..
Richards desired was that the Brit
ish Parliament, after public discussion,
should place upon record an opinion that
arbitration should supersede cannonading
that the interests Of humanity at large,
and the polity of nations in particular,
required that the pen should be mightier
than the sword. Mr.. Gladstone asked
Mr.. Richards to withdraw the motion,
which was refused, and vote was taken
upon it. Including the Speaker and the
four "tellerso Tor yote-counters), thu
house consisted. when the division took
place, of 1913 members. 1t appeared that
the votes were exactly even-96 for and
96 against the peace declaration. On
this, Mr.. Brand, the speaker, gave the
casting vote in favor of the motion, which,
passing thus into the journal Of the House
of Commons, stands before the world al
the recorded opinion of that important
branch Of the British Legislature.
Though vote Of the Commons has thu
recognized, what most persons who hay
considered the matter must firmly believe
that peace is preferable to war, and tina
it would be most desirable for the force Q
argument rather than the argument of fore
to settle international misunderstanding
and disputes, there is not the remotes
prospect that, while society and ciyilizatio
remain constituted as at present, arbi
tration will supersede warfare.