The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-29

they also should apply for admission to
the League OF Peace. For the only two
outstanding Powers of the first class in
the Old World are already linked with
one or another OF the parties to the new
agreement-Japan, by an offensive and
defensive alliance with Great Britain,
and Russia, by her league with the French
Republic, on which she must continue
to rely for indispensable pecuniary sap
port. 1t follows that il the reported
compact is a fact a long step has been
taken toward the reputation OF war
and the substitution of arbitration as
the method by which international con-
troversies shall be settled.
Neither from a naval and military o
a financial point of view could Germany
and Austria-H Hungary hope to make
Roadway against the League Of Peace,
buttressed as the latter is with antece-
dent combinations. The German and
Austrian navies would be impOtent to
cope with Britain's sea power even II
every other country were neutral: to
what, then, except humiliation, could
they look forward were Britain's sea
power supplem ented with the naval
forces of France, Italy, Japan and Rus
STA? Germany's army, if the whole Of
il could be employed for aggressive
action on her western frontier, might
be able to crush that of France, but the
situation would be changed essentially
if a large part Of it had to be detached
60 ,loFauA 4ha I'm, 80 TIA Xtdtpla anuinaf
Russian attack. For no substantial
help could be obtained from Austria,
because il the reported League of Peace
is a fact the Hapsburg dual monarchy
would need all of its resources to with
stand an Italian invasion, and sinful
~taneously to deal with it's enemies in
the Balkan Peninsula. How fOFmida-
BILE Russia might become il backed by
Britain's financial resources Is well known
to Emperor WILLIAM, who is unlikely
to forget that in the seven Years. War
a Russian army occupied Berlin, al
though at that time Prussia could rely
upon aid from the British Treasury.
In a word, a contest between Germany
and her Hapsburg ally on the n hand
and the League of Peace on the other
might be p%rOtracted. but in the end
victory would go to the longest purse,
and the German navy, German COM
cree and German manufactures would
be ruined.
We may take for granted, therefore,
that il the ley agreement exists Ger
many will ere long become a party to
it, in which event the next Hague Con-
ference should have consequences be-
yond the hopes hitherto conceived by
the most optimistic advocates of inter
national smity. For it is plain on the
face of things that a general disarma-
ment would be practicable il France
would definitely give up Alsace-Lor-
raine, and if Germany on her part would
all plans for further acquisi-
lions on her western or southeastern
border. Such reciprocal renunciations
would have to be made; otherwise adj
hesion to the reported League OF Peace
would be palpably insincere. Once made.
there is no reason why a large and on
certed reduction of military and naval
should not Immediately fol-
low. This would seem equally incon-
trOvertible to Chancellor Won BELOW
and Premier CLEMENCEAU. as patent to
Emperor WILLIAM as to his uncle Ed
WARD VII. and to President ROOSEVELT.
If Germany and Austria Hungary
should become parties to a League Of
Peace which would have no ease for
it's existence unless it promptly took
effective to substitute arbi-
tration for war, we can see no reason
why the United States should not also
join it. The traditional objection to
involvement in foreign entanglem ents
would obviously fall o.the ground, since
the fundam entail object of a League Of
Peace would be a pacific ~extrication from
entangleme nts. If, without departing
from the spirit and intent Of u ma
tiohal precedents, W can take part in
a Hague Congress and sign a Hague
convention, we could go a step further
and join a com bination which has no
aim except to render impossible here
after an entrance into var from sordid
or ambitious motives. The reasOn for
our national self-isolation would then
be gone. Cessdnte ~Tdtions, cessdt ct
! ipsG Ter.