The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-06-27
THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE
COURT


thinker. Tolstoi, Is not a subscriber 10
the theory Of an international peace
court, certainly not for the present. This
"a not because the distinguished Rus
sian author is in favor of the settlement
of international disputes in the court of
Mars. but because he does not believe
that an International peace court would
really be instrumental in abolishing war
Says he: "Such a peace court would
merely increase the perils of the peace
ably inclined, for there always is
Napoleon or a Bismarck at hand, to-
gether with the patriots ready to follow
them" And he suggests that the war
against war must be carried on in diff
ferent way from this. Certain ideas in
the common mind must be altered-the
ideas of courage, honor and heroism."
Tolstof's opinion is apparently predi-
Gated upon the proposition that the sem
tirnent of the world must be clearly
against war before an international
peace court can avail much in the pres
ervation of peace. This proposition is
correct. Until in the minds of prepon-
derating proportion of the people of
every reasonably strong country of the
world an utter adherence of war. as
method of settling International dis
putes has taken root, "such a court"
as Tolstoi observes, would merely in
crease the periis of the peaceably in
clined." The latter, relying on the ar
bitramentof the peace court in the event
of their becoming involved in interna-
tional difficulty, would divest them
selves of the implements of warfare and
become untitled to cope with physical
aggression or to enforce just demands
against such countries as refused to
submit differences to a peace court.
Thus the "peaceably inclined might be-
come the prey of nations not yet edu-
Gated to the point of viewing war as bar
barous and unnecessary.
International. like national, courts
will be potent in the maintenance of
peace and concord in the field of their
Jurisdiction when they exist in response
to and are sustained by the sentiment Of
the people with which they have to deal,
which in the case of the international
courts would be the people of the
world. Laws and rules and the tribunes
which administer them are as strong but
no stronger than the sentiment behind
them. Before there can be an interna-
tional court that will promote interna-
tional peace and not advantage particu-
lar powers, certain IDEAS as Tolstoi
puts it, lin the common mind must be
altered. The masses of the world must
be made to see the moral enormity and
the economic absurdity of physical war
fare. They must be brought to a reali-
cation of the truths that war involves
the commission of murder by the partic-
ipants, the preparation of inhumani-
ties, the infliction of suffering and loss
on the innocent and disinterested, the
Wanton destruction of wealth, the dis
turbance of trade, the checking of pro-
duction, an inestimable waste of human
energy, and that after all neither justice
nor permanence is guaranteed in the
DEGREES of the battlefield-the victors
are not always right, the victory is not
always enduring. This alteration car
be brought about, not rapidly but surely
nevertheless, by the diffusion of knowl.
edge and the setting up of some different
standards of national greatness thar
those established now in the popula,
mind. And it can only be brought about
that way; reforms are the fruit of edu.
cation. not Of laws and courts; laws ant
courts reflect and express reform senti
ment, they do not make it,
In this work of displacing the cour
pies of independent arbitration of diff
ferences between leading countries ar
hound to prove salutary and have ;