Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-11-24
WORLD WIDE PEACE.

With the strains of America" and
ode Yacht am Rhein" blending into
a unity of sound great assemblage,
representing many nations, cheered as
with one voice when the veil of Ameri-
can and German flags was loosened
from before the bronze statue of Fred.
erick the Great in Washington on Sat
urday and President Roosevelt &C
cepted, on behalf of the American ma
ton, the work of sculpture as a gift
from the emperor of Germany to the
United States. This COSMOPOLITAN
people, gathered from every corner of
Europe and even from more distant
continents, paused for a day to honor
the German nation even as that ma
tion's leader had honored America
with his rich offering of friendship and
regard.
Such occasions as that of Saturday
cannot but further the feeling of
friendship, even kinship, that exists
between the people of the United
States and those of other countries
across the seas. Such occasions must,
in time, have their effect in bringing
about that world wide peace of which
thousands Of us dream and for which
we hope, but which we have often
feared will never come about. When
two great governments join hands in
expressions of the deepest regard and
most sincere respect as did Germany
and America it is but natural that
when some international disagreement
arises every possible alternative will
be tried by both before they will re-
sort to brutal war to decide the
issue
Civilization is the agency that must,
In time. bring about peace among all
the nations. Peace congresses may
meet, resolutions may be passed, the
question may be discussed for years
and years, but civilization must be
the power that will bring about the
object sought War is a relic of the
barbarous days Arbitration is a
mark of Improvement and develop.
ment. Civilization has taught the
world that the battles of the gladia-
tors, which formed the most enhancing
sport in the richest days Of ancient
Rome, were inhuman. The same is
true as regards some of the wars of
that early period. Nations rushed to
arms on slightest provocation then,
but now some gross offense is neces-
sary to:bring a declaration. @
Emperor William when he. conceived
theidea Of presenting to the American
nation. the. statue Of Frederick the
Great which was unveiled in Washing.
ton Saturday. took long step on the
path toward world wide peace. Just
SO did the French people when they
gave the statue of Liberty which
lights the way Of the seafarer when
he enters New York harbor. No
American gazes at that colossal work
of art but that he remembers the do
nors and the spirit in which 1t was
given. SO it will be with the bronze
figure of that great German whose
name, in generations gone by, struck
terror to the hearts of his enemies
and brought cheers to the lips of his
followers.
The time is passing, let us hope,
has passed--when two nations which
represent the highest type of civiliza-
ton, will rush headlong into war with
out first exhausting every means Of
preventing it. England and Russia
have set splendid example to the
world in their handling of the North
sea incident. The struggle now in
progress between Russia and Japan,
though it is bloody and fraught with