Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

/ tournelles de Constant. the weil-known
pacifist. on the subject of Limitation of
armament
Slowly, but surely. the great ideas of
peace are marching toward their reaiiza-
ton. The time when 1t pleased writer's to
tax the principal articles of the pacifist pro-
gram as Ctopian has passed. International
arbttrage. which was considered as impossi-
bic ten years ago. Is now an accomplished
fact. and the diminution OF military ex
penses. which provoked the Struggling CT
shoulders. is now seriously discussed by I'M
portant politicians OF the two worlds.
The question OF the limitation of arma-
ments Is incontestably the most urgent and
pressing. says Baron d'Estournelles. and so
long as 1t is not solved 1t can be said to bar
the road to all reforms and to stop the
march of civilization.
Let u.s. he adds. be the Interpreters OF
public opinion. The beginnings of the court
at, The Hague have been saved by the
Initiative of President Roosevelt. Shall we
not find In the conference at Algeciras the
concil.ation which prevented a resort to
arms ordinarily. and which after great sac
to diplomacy
The baron proposes what he declares may
appear "as paradox. but which is. never
theless, very real. the solidarity of patriot
fsms.' unity of action, which necessitates
corporation and the association of coun-
tries Why shall not the old world profit by
the example of the new? The conference
at Rio de Janeiro meets at the same time
as the fnterparliamentary union assembly
at London.
Each Of the states of the three Ameri-
cas- has its interior and exterior difficulties.
none of them has refused to make sacri-
fees to conquer its independence: none
dreams of abandoning a parcel of its indi-
vidualfty: international action is the OBJ
ject. national action is the means
=
Baron d Estourneiles submits the counter
argument and cites what his friends have
said to him.: Nothing is
should France more praiseworthy than
Lead OffP your campaign in favor Of
arbitration and limitation
Of ornaments, but Is 1t in France Limitation
should commence? Is it in France, con-
quered and mutilated. where it Is best to
preach peace? Go to her conquerors first
If they will listen to you. Take care in the
interest of justice and liberty not to weaken
In France the indisputable energy in defense
OF your principles. Take care lest you make
Of her, not example. but a prey. and
thus provoke a universal war. Such is the
objection. A grave problem which it would
be puerile or criminal to pretend to elude.'
The initiative taken by Russia was fol-
lowed by Great Britain. Mr.. Roseben,
first lord OF the admiralty. March .. 1899,
declared that Great Britain was ready
to diminish or modify her program
of new construction If the other great
powers would do so. Sir Henry Campbell
Bannerman. on December %, 1905. declared
himself likewise in favor of limitations. and
added: Mr.. Gladstone defied public opinion
In his time. He placed himself on higher
ground in deferring the dispute of the Ala
bama to arbitrage. He established a prece-
dent of an unknown value to humanity"
Sir Edward Grey has declared also his ad-
hesion to the sentiments of the premier.
M. T1ttoni, minister of foreign affairs for
Italy. said: Il have always deemed it trea-
son to country to lessen our ornaments
I IN ho ftay mo-, q.
crime against humanity not to co-operate
sincerely with the initiatives which have
Tor object simultaneous reduction of ar
maments of the great powers italian mol
Icy has always favored the maintenance of
peace. and her delegates to the next con-
ference will be instructed in that sense"
france: through the intermediary of NJ
Leon Bourgeois declared June 10 IoO6.
THE progressive lmita tons of armies will
augment the moral and material welfare Of
humanity
X
progressive ornaments of Japan, China
Australia, Turkey and
european the United States are
1mportations. against his theory. But
the example OF Europe
is Responsible mitarism in those countries
being a European Importation.
The case of America, according to the
baron, is specially perpiexng. The United
States makes great sacrifices In order to
maintain an army relatively unimportant.
For fact it is a sign of their natural in
aptitude for militarism If militarism, re-
marks the baron, was normal thing, SOL
diers would not be paid dearly. The
baron, who Travelled from New York to
Chicago, did not a single soldier during
six weeks. Americas small army, MAIN
tanned at immense cost. he holds to be
argument in favor Of his theory, and not
against it. Americas navy, too, is main
tanned likewise at great cost, all of which
is due to Europe. But it is not only the
United States, but also Mexico. Brazil, the
Argentine, and. indeed all small powers.
will only be too happy when they join in
the limita ton of ornaments.
Baron d'Estournelles makes up the fol-
lowing formidable bill of costs of the mill
tary forces of the powers cited on a peace