Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-10-18

and assassination of opposing ruler
and generals arranged by private bar
gain. and deceptive agreements, We're
| lCeitimatc weapons. Prisoners were
Ius ssacred or ensiaved. No quarter
Vas given. Enemies were tortured ana
mutiIated. Women. children and non
Cumkatants We're not spared. Wells
were poisoned. Private property was
not respected. Pillage was the rule.
FrivateeriEg and private war were al
lowed. Neutral rights 1T sea We're al
most unknown.
One deplorable exceptions exists to
the march of Improvement A new
stain has recently crept into the rules;
of war as foul as any that war has
been forced by public sentiment to dis
card. Today, it is held that a formal
Celebration of war is not indispensable
and that war can exist without it. Here
is the only STEP backward to be met
with in the steady progress of mollify-
ing the rules of war. 1t proclaims that
any party to a dispute can first in his
right hand carry gentle peace, sitting
in friendly conference. ostensibly en-
gagged in finding Il peaceful solution of
differences, while with the left he
grdsps, concealed the assasSin's dag
ger 1t is to be hoped that the COM
ing conference will stamp this treach-
cry as contrary to the rules of war,
and thus return to the ancient and
mere chivalrous idea of attack only
after notice. At last there is no ex-
cuse for war. A tribunal is now at
k2nd to Judge wisely and deliver
IightcouS judgement between nations.
1t mas male an suspicious start. a
rumber of disputes have already beea
st tiled ny it, 1t was under a provision
of The Hague conference that the
President of the United States address,
ed his recent note to Japan and Rus
STA suggesting conference looking to
peace and Offering his services to
bring it about. His success was thus
rrade possible by The Hague treaty.
The Hague Tribunal has nothing
compulsory about it. Peace wins her
way not by force; her appeal is to rea-
son and the conscience of man. The
greatest step forward in this direction
is that Denmark and The Netherlands
and Chill and Argentina have just
concluded treaties agreeing to submit
to arbitration all disputes making no
exception whatever. Norway and
Sweden closely follow. What our race
should now do is to follow the example
set and conclude such a treaty, opera
tive within the wide boundaries of
English speakers empire and republic.
Less than this were derogatory to our
past as pioneers of progress. We can
not long permit these six small ma
tions to march in advance. We should
at least get abreast of them.
Honor or vital interests have hitherto
been expected from Submission By arbi-
tration treaties. We eXclaim: "Oh. Lib
erty, what crimes are committed in thy
name?" But these are tritling compared
with those committed in the name OF
Honor" the most dishonOred word in
our language. All stains upon honor come
from within, never from without. limo
cence seeks no revenge, there is nothing
to be revCnged. guilt can never ne. Man
or nation, whose honor needs Vindica ton
beyond Il statement of the truth. which
puts calumny to the ShIme, is to b.
pitici. Innocent honor. asS;tilcd. disc ard
bloody revenge and seeks the Halls Z.
Justice and Arbitration.
The man of our race who holds that hi
| country would be dishonorcd by agree
| ing to unrestricted arbitration forget
| that. according to this standard. h, is
personally dishorored by doing that very
| thing Individually he has become civil
| lied, nationally he remains barbaric. re-