Evening star., 1897-02-23
HONOR AND ARBITRATION,
MIR. COudert Shows That They Are Not
Incompatible.


Incompatible.
The annral celebration of tho anniver-
sary of the birth Of Washington under
| the auspices of the Union League Club
was held in the Chicago Auditorium yes
terday afternoon. The great hall was filled,
the stage being occupied by large chorus
of children from the high schools of the
city. which. in company with the great or
gan in the hail. furnished the music for
the occasion The Grafton of the day was
delivered by Frederick r. Coudert of New
York. who spoke on War and Arbitra-
tion." His address was received with great
favor by the audience.
He said among other things: To-day the
United States and Great Britain are striv-
ing to crown the glories of this dying CEN
tury with something better and greater
than the world has seen. 1t is proposed to
abolish homicide as a test Of international
right by submitting causes Of dispute to
the calm judgment Of wise men; solution
so simple and so economical that it re-
plausible reasons. All concede that in
theory the plan Is admirable and that in
practice a limited scale 1t has proved
of priceless value that 1t Is infinitely more
only other alternative, viz: Resort to war.
But say the objectors. what II our
national honor should become involved?
"a nations honor, 1 would venture to
"
or injured by forbearance. A nation
honor Is not severed by rash counseIs nor
by violent impulses recklessly 1ndulged In.
1t Is indeed a frail and delicate posses
sion II 1t cannot live In an atmosphere of
peace. it Is a dangerous one If 1t is tar
nished by friendly discussion and a dis
position to hearken to the voice Of JUS
tice.
National honor raay perhaps shine all
the brighter when a great nation is slow
to admit trat her just dignity may be i'm
periled by the act of others. Tie honor of
a nation is in her keeping, not in that of
her neighbors; it cannot be lost save by
her own act. To preserve her honor should
be her main object and purpose. but she
should net readily believe those who tell
her that by hard blows alone may Its in
tegrity be protected.
"A nations honor consists in fidelity to
her engagements, in carrying out her con-
tracts in spirit as in the letter. in paying
her just debts. in respecting the rights of
others, in promoting the welfare Of her
people. in the encouragement of truth, in
teaching obedience to the law,in cultivating
honorable peace with the world.
How can our rational honor be so
grievously invaded that there can be no
room for remonstrance. no time for discus
sion, no opportunity allowed the aggressor
for amendment?
"Buster. with nations as with indi-
viduals. is dying out. 1t is heard at times,
but its voice squeaks and shows senility
1t cannot. as of old. arouse a nation into
untninking wrath CT drive II from its pro-
rriety. The wisdom and the experience of
the world are against it.
The day has gone by when honorable
preferment could only be gained in war.
The splendid triumphs Of peace are winning
over the heart of man from the glories
Of war. Perhaps the boy of today, by the
time ne has cast his first vote, may think
1t as well to be an Edison as a Napoleon, q
Pasteur as a Wellington, a Franklin as q
Won Moltke to build as to destroy, to save
as to kill. to love as to hate. To labor for
his bread and to earn 1t by the sweat OF
his face is the curse more fully trans
ferred Into a blessing. but labor must and
shall enjoy its rewards in peace.
Order had become the watchword of a
growing civilization. and order means the
law. not the law of violence. not the law
facetiousy called the law of war-that Is
the law of lawlessness-but the law which
grows from fine sense of justice, which
depends on reason.
'"The prejudices. errors and passions Of
men may defer the hour of triumph but
come II must. The constant tendency of
man Is toward peace, as soon as he
energies from the primitive condition
wherein he most closely resembles the in
ferior tenants of the earth. Individually
he longs for rest and the enjoyment of life
He undergoes hardships that he may have
security and ease.
THE good fight of peace and for peace
is fairly won. Honor to those who have
achieved it and shown themselves the
friends of the human race. The great con-
summation may be deferred. but come it
will