Evening star., 1897-02-09
BISMARCK on INTERVENTION.
He Detests War, but Has Been Driven
to Advocate 1t.

dispatch to the New York World today
from London says: Prince Bismarck has re-
ceived Il repre- sentative of the World at his
CO stle at Friederichsruhe. The correspond
cnt called by appointment with Count
Rantzau, the son-in-law of the prince, who
er joys the closest, most confidential rela-
ton rs with the great chancellor. The World
lad requested an expression of opinion
frcrn Prir Bismarck on international ar
bitration. The great diplomatist's view
veS eSpecif lily desired by the World in d
purely academic or theoretic sense If
Prince Bismarck wished it to be considered
So on the ultimate success of such a peace
treaty between two great nations as that
how pending between Great Britain and
the United STATES, and asked specifically if
he would conse Mt to express himself wheth-
er such a treaty, If ratified, would be likely
to bear the strain of a grave international
rupture-in short, whether serious differ
er ces between rations might not in future
be settled by arbitra ton instead of by war
Prince Bismarck's answer was made
through Count Rantzau yesterday in these
words:
now pending in the United States Senate
the prince has not word to say. He
wishes it to be understood that the opinion
he now expresses is purely theoretical or
academic in respect to arbitration of dis
putes between nations. not as an express
slcn upon the merits of the peace treaty
agreed upon but not yet ratified between
Great Britain and the United States. Upon
that he wishes to make no expression.
Prince Bismarck declares emphatically
that ne 1etests war. though he has been
driven to advocate il where there has been
no other means of settling disputes, and
where the fate of the vater1and was In
vCived.
Arbitration he would certainly have pre-
ferred could he have expected that the de-
cisioH would Rave been such as he con-
sidered to be just. 1t is only necessary to
remember. however, the Caroline Islands
and the popes decision against Germany
and in behalf of Spain.
In private life" Prince Bismarcks state
ment continued 1.-The value of any agree
ment between different persons, however
precise the wording, depends entirely on
the character of the contracting parties,
and even then there are the law courts to
appeal to whenever differences arise.
But whose is the law court, any law
&C urt. in fact, which could eventually en-
fierce its sentence in the case of two great
nations entering into a treaty of arbitra-
tiCn?
NO statesman in this world is SO power
full as to be able to command the voice of
the People in certain emergencies
NO arbitration treaties will ever succeed
In aboHshlng war as the sole means of set
tlement of a dispute when the whole future
o. a nation Is believed by its people to de-
pend on the way the issue is settled
The terrors of modern warfare" con-
tinued the iron chancellors statement. the
uncertainty as to what the end would be-
Will do more. at present at least to nre
vent war than any treaties could do Once
the people are educated enough to com
prehend that war is a double-edged sword
the aggressors often being the losers. then
war will cease
he present agitation in Great Britain
and the United States in favor of interna-
TIC nal arbitration proves how humanity has
advanced II Is to be applauded for that
reason if not for anything else"