The Minneapolis journal., 1905-09-01
The Peace Of the World.

4 - The Peace of the World.
Now that the Japanese war IS
over, the powers will, perhaps, turn their
attention toward measures for the pre-
vention of another such catastrophe.
The so-called great nations have learned
that even small war, like that of the
Beers against England, can put them to
Infinite expense. To fight war far
removed from the national base is,
with the expensive weapons now in
vogue, almost impossible, as the world
has learned from Russia s failure to
make the least impression upon Japan.
Such a lesson and the further knowl-
edge that war does nothing for nations
nowadays but enslaye them to the
money power, make for peace. The
mountainous debts Of France and Rus
sia bear pathetic testimony to the alb
solute folly Of war as method Of set
tling International difficulties. The
debt of France today is nearly $S,000,-
100000. That Of Russia is even larger.
The interest bill of these countries is
a continuing drain upon their resources.
Another great war would spell for
either Russia or France nothing but
ruin and reputation. -
The prevention Of war thus becomes
an active question for all countries,
since their finances are so interviewer
that the downfall of one thru war en-
barrasses all.
Two methods are open to the world
to prevent war. The one is an alliance
of the great powers pledging them
selves to peaceful settlements; the. 9th.
er, an agreement upon international ar.
bitration open to all nations. A start
has been made in the latter direction
by the establishment Of The Hague
court. Nations are still slow to submit
their grievances to it, but the tenacity
with which it holds on to life is an
evidence that the nations feel that
they may want to use it and are, there
fore 10th to see it 20 out Of existence
The other plan is an alliance Of the
strongest nations for mutual defense
The difficulty with this is that thu
strongest nations today may not be th'
strongest tomorrow. France was al
immensely strong nation apparently un
til the Franco-Prussian war exposed
the hollowness of her pretensions tt
supremacy in European politics. Th
mere shadow of Russia falling acros
the path of European diplomacy tw
years ago was sufficient to cause
tremor of apprehension to travel thr1
the chancelleries. Both France an
Russia, by war, have been set down t
secondary places in the worlds pane
rama of politics. It may be so wit
Germany or Great Britain tomorrow
they shall be tempted into battle wit
some other power.
There is but one element of real sta
bility in the scheme of an alliance
and that is the gathering into one con
pact the principal sea-going nations
Sea power has been demonstrated i
the present war to be the key to SUI
cess, and sea power is a gradual cres
tion. It is expensive. None but tn
richest nations can afford great navie
since the building of ships is merel
the initial expense. The equipmen
the coaling and the manning of trt
mendous battleships is perpetual prot
lem of finance. This element make
it rather certain that the nations whic
have the supremacy upon the sea toda
can hold it for some time TO come. A
the present time three Of these nation
| Great Britain, the United States an
= Japan-are in accord on the main que
2 tion which now disturbs the dreams {
: prime ministers. They are in fave
: Of the open door in the orient. Thel
l is no combination of nations whic
} would hazard an attack upon this pri1
ciple so long as three nations were
accord upon it. It would be wiped o
the sea and left helpless, no matte
!! what it's combined strength on Ian
because without navies it could n,
bring armies into action. The policir
Of the sea by the Industrial nations
! a guarantee of the peace Of the worl
So far as the United States is co
7 cerned, it would perhaps never ent
, int3 a formal alliance with a Europes
=. power, but our influence for, peace
] greater without an alliance, as has bee
demonstrated at Portsmouth and
Peking.