Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-07
bid such use of money In connection
with any legislation save by the en-
ployment of counsel in public manner
for distinctly legal services.
CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE

CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE
Some Important Ethical Questions
Must Be Decided by the Ma
lions as to Warfare
The first conference of nations held
at The Hague in 1899. being unable to
dispose of all the business before It,
recommended the consideration and set
. Element of a number of important ques-
subsequently and at an early uate. These
: questions were the following: 81 The
rights and duties of neutrals; (9 the
limitation Ito s of the u, armed forces on aG6
the use of new types and calibers OF
military and naval guns: 20 the in
volatility of private PROPERTY at, sea
of ports. cities, and villages by naval
forces. In October, 1904, at the in
stance of the interparliamentary union r
ed States and attended by the lawmak-
ers of fifteen different nations, had re-
iterated the demand for second con-
ference of nations l issued In Invitations I1 tl,s
convention to send delegates to such a
conference and suggested that 1t be
again held at The Hague. In its note OF OF
resenta t1ves of foreign governments Its
belief tat the conference could be pest
arranged unQer the PROVISIONS VI lHc
present Hague treaty.
Gar Takes Initiative
From all the powers acceptance was
received. coupled in some cases with
the condition that we should wait until
the end of the war then waging between
Russia and Japan. The The emperor mp oe OF Ru s.
peace which so happily terminated this
war, in a note presented to the president
on September 10, through Ambassador
iy,ifi I've tn 1Y,op nj IL
ing that the conference be now called.
The United states government In re-
Spouse expressed its cordial acqu1escence
and stated that it would, as matter OF
and endeavor to further its aims. We
assume that all civilized governments
will support the movement, and that the
conference is now an assured fact This
government will do everything In Its
power to secure the success of the con-
ference to the end that substantial prog
res may be made in the cause Of In
ternational peace. justice and good will.
Americas Attitude Toward Peace
This renders 1t proper at this time to
say something as to the general attitude
of this government toward peace. More
and more war is coming to. be looked
thing. A wanton or useless war. or a
war of mere aggression-in short. any
war begun and carried on in a con-
scienceless spirit. Is to be condemned ars. as as
humanity. We can, however do nothing
of permanent value for peace unless we
keep ever clearly in mind the ethical ele-
ment which lies at the root of the prob
lem. Our aim is righteousness. Peace Is
normally the handmaiden Of righteous
ness; but when peace and righteousness
contict than q great and upright people
can never for a moment hesitate to fol-
low the path which leads toward right
eousness, even though that path also
leads to war. There are persons who
a 20 no a.
others who, following false analogy.
think that because it is no longer nee
essary, in civilized coutries for individ-
strong hand it is therefore unnecessary
for nations to be ready to defend their
rights. These persons would do irrepar,
their principles and even as It is they
seriously hamper the cause which they
advocate by tending to render it alb
surd in the eyes of sensible and .patri..
mankind In general. and of his own
country in particular, than the dema-
gogue of war. the man who in mere
folly or to serve his own selfish ends
continually rails at and abuses other
nations. who seeks to excite his coun-
trymen against foreigners on insufficient
preverse and aggressive national vanity,
and who may on occasions wantonly
bring on conflict between his nation and
some other nation. But there are dema-
gogues of war. and in any such move
ment as this for The Hague conference
it is essential not to be misled by one
set of extremists any more than by the
nation or an individual to work for real
peace, assuredly 1t is failure of duty not
SO to strive; but i war is necessary and
righteous then either the man or the
nation shrinking from it forfeits all tt
tie to self-respect We have scant SYM
pathy- with the sentimentalist who
lt,0fa <1r,N CT No., SUE
fering, who would prefer shameful
peace to the pain and toll sometimes la
mentally necessary in order to secure
righteous peace As yet there is only
international law and internal or mu-
nictpal law. because there is no sane
ton of force for executing the former
while, there is in the case of the lat
ter. The private citizen Is protected in
his rights by the law, because the law
rests In the last resort upon force ex-
man does not have to defend his rights
with his own hand, because he can call
upon the police. upon the sheriff's posse.
upon the militia, or in certain extreme
But there is no such sanction of force
for International law. At present there
could be no greater calamity than for
pendent, and peace-loving peoples. to
disarm while yet leaving It open to any
barbarism or despotism to remain. armed.
so long as the world is as unorgant2ed
as now, the armies and navies Of those
tice. offer not only the best. but the
only possible security for Just peace.
For instance, IL the United States alone,
or In company only with the other ma
tions that on the whole tend to act
justly, disarmed, we might sometimes
avoid bloodshed but we would cease to
be of weight in securing the peace of
justice-the real peace for which the
most law-abiding and high-minded men
must at times be willing to fight. AS the
world is now, only that nation is
@ lo tha G nat sSrnk
fighting If ever the conditions become
such that war Is demanded in the name
of the highest morality.
PLANS MUST BE PRACTICAL
They Should Minimize the Number Of