The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-10-27
Why ALLOW War?
A DISGRACE 70 cHRlsTENDox,
Not Permitted in individuals,

Richmond Times Dispatch
Former Senator George E. Edmunds
made stirring address in Philadelphia
on Sunday last in the interest of in
ternatlonal peace, in the course OF
which he paid his respects 10 the saw
age war now progressing in the far
East. "When an individual Gees his
neighbors fighting" he said, "be goes
to them and makes them stop. They
do not like it, of course, else why
should they fight? The individual
has done his God-bidden duty. But
when Christian nations see other ma
tions fighting, the example OF the lndi-
vidual is not followed"
Mr.. Edmunds took the ground that
as the people were masters they should
govern their rulers and should make
them interfere and commapd peace
when two nations took each other by
the throat. In other words, he thinks
that it Is now the duty of the Christian
nations of the world to intervene in
the var which is now progressing be-
tween Japan and Russia and put
etop to the slaughter.
Mr.. Edmunds Is right. The reports
which come to us day after day from
Manchuria are reports of horror.
Thousands upon thusands of human
beings are being butchered every day,
and it appears that the bloody struggle
will go on until either one or the other
shall have conquered, or else until eve
ry drop OF blood has been poured out
as llbation to savasery.
It may be said that this is an affair
between Russia and Japan with which
outsiders have nothing to do. This
may be the law OF diplomacy, but there
Is a higher law. As Mr.. Edmunds has
80 we'll said, there is no difference be-
tween the duty of individuals and OF
nations, 70. after all q nation is nothing
more than an organization of individ.
ais. We cannot have two Standards
We cannot have one code of morals for
individuals and ano1nv1 vuuo uf muraIe
Tor nations. That which is indiyldual-
ly wrong cannot be nationally right,
and all the arguments of diplomacy,
couched as may be In fine language,
cannot alter the fact. If crowd OF
men should stand by and see two hu-
man beings engage in duel with
inlves and slash and cut each, other
until one or the other or both are
killed and never attempt to separate
them and preserve the peace, they
would be denounced the world over as
towards or brutes. But a duel very
much worse than duel between indi-
viduaIe is now progressing in Man.
churia. Instead of one life or two lives
being involved the lives of thousands
and thousands are being daily tacri-
tced, yet the Christian nations OF the
earth are standing by and not even
offering their good Offices in the inter-
est of peace. They are going about
their affairs as though the smile OF
heaven were brooding over Manchuria
instead of the frown of the grim mon
ster of war; as though the streams
were ripping and sparkling in purity,
instead of being stained with human
blood as though the hills were crown
ed with the gorgeous foliage of peace
ful autumn Instead OF being mounted
with death-dealing guns.
It is spectacle to arouse every man
with a spark of humanity in him.
More especially is it spectacle to
arouse those who claim to be enlisted
in the army of the Prince of Peace. If
a crowd OF spectators standing by and
seeing duel between two men with
out Offering to interfere are amenabie
to the charge oil cowardice Vi brutality,
Why may not the same charge with
equal Justice be made against the 80
called Christian nations who stand en-
folded in their diplomatic garments, a
picture nf indifference and inbecility,
while this bloody tragedy in the lar
East is going on from day to day?
Let us have peace.