Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-12-05

ference in this direction, and 1 most. earnestly urge that this nation do all in it's power to try to further the move 1 ment and to make the result of the de- [ cisions of The Hague conference effec- i tive. I earnestly hope that the confer. ence may be able to devise some way to make arbitration between nations the customary way of settling interna- tional disputes in all save few classes of cases. which should themselves be as sharply defined and rigidly limited as the present governmental and social development of the world will permit. If possible, there should be a general arbitration treaty negotiated among all the nations represented at the confer ence. Neutral rights and property should be protected at sea as they are protected on land There should be an international agreement to this pur- pose and a similar agreement defining contraband of war.
 During the last century there has been a distinct diminution in the num- Der of wars between the most civilized : nations. International relations have { become closer. and the development of The Hague tribunal is not only symp- tom of this growing closeness of rela- tionship, but is means by which the growth can be furthered. Our aim should be from time to time to take such steps as may be possible toward | creating something like an organization of the civilized nations. because as the world becomes more highly organized the need for navies and armies will di- minish. It is not possible to secure anything like an immediate disarma- ment, because it would first be neces. sary to settle what peoples are on the whole menace to the rest of mankind and to provide against the disarma- ment of the rest being turned into a movement which would really chiefly benefit these obnoxious peoples; but it may be possible to exercise some check i upon the tendency to swell indefinitely the budgets for military expenditure. Of course such an effort could succeed only if it did not attempt to do too much and if it were undertaken in a spirit of sanity as far removed as pos sible from merely hysterical pseudo philanthropy It is worth while point ing out that since the end of the insur- rection in the Philippines this nation has shown its practical faith in the policy of disarmament by reducing its little army one-third. But disarma- ment can never be of prime impor- tance. There is more need to get rid of the causes of war than of the imple- ments of war
 I have dwelt much on the dangers to be avoided by steering clear of any mere foolish sentimentality because my wish for peace is so genuine and earnest; because l have a real and great desire that this second Hague conference may mark long stride for ward in the direction of securing the peace of justice throughout the world. No object is better worthy the atten- tion of enlightened statesmanslip than the establishment of a surer method than now exists of securing justice as between nations bots for the protection of the little nations and for the proven tion of war between the big nations. To this aim we should endeavor not only to avert bloodshed, but, above all, effectively to strengthen the forces of right. The golden rule should be, and as the world grows in morality it will be, the guiding rule of conduct among nations as among individuals. though the golden rule must not be construed in fantastic manner, as forbidding the exercise of the police power. This mighty and free republic should ever deal with all other states. great or small. on basis of high honor, re- specting their rights as jealously as it safeguards it's own.
 Monroe Doctrine.
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