Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-04


forfeiture. Authority for seizures in such
cases should be given and the presence on
any such vessel of seals or sealskins, or the
paraphernalfa for taking them. should be
I recommend what legislation Is needed to
accomplish these ends; and commend to
your attention the report OF MIR. Sims, Of
the Department OF Commerce and Labor.
on this subject.
In case we are compelled to abandon the
hope OF making arrangements with other
governments to put an end to the hideous
cruelty now incident to pelag1c sealing. 1t
will be question for your serious con-
sideration how far we should continue to
protect and maintain the seal herd on land
with the result Of continuing such q prac-
tise, and whether 1t Is not better to end
ourselves in the most humane way pos
sible.
Second Hague Conference.
In my last message advised you that
the Emperor of Russia had taken the
initiative in bringing about second peace
conference at The Hague. Under the guild
ance Of Russia the arrangement of the pre-
liminaries for such a conference has been
progressing during the past year. Progress
has necessarily been slow, owing to the
great number Of countries to be consulted
upon every question that has arisen 1t Is
matter of satisfaction that all OF the
American Republic: have now. for the
first time. been invited to join in the pro-
posed conference.
The close connection between the subjects
to be taken up by the Red Cross Confer
ence held at Geneva last summer, and the
subjects which naturally would come be-
fore The Hague Conference, made 1t ap-
parent that it was desirable to have the
work of the Red Cross Conference COM
pleted and considered by the different pow
ers before the meeting at The Hague. The
Red Cross Conference ended Its labors on
the 9th day of July. and the revised and
amended convention, which was signed by
the American delegates, will be promptly
laid before the Senate.
By the special and highly appreciated
courtesy of the Governments Of Russia and
the Netherlands a proposal to call The
Hague Conference together at a time which
would conflict with the Conference Of the
American Republics at Rio de Janeiro in
August was laid aside. No other date has
yet been suggested. A tenta tive program
for the conference has been proposed by
the Government of Russia. and the sub
jects which 1t enumerates are undergoing
careful examination and consideration In
preparation for the conference.
Peace and Righteousness.
1t must ever be kept in mind that war Is
not merely justfiable, but imperative, upon
honorable men, upon an honorable nation,
where peace can only be obtained by the
sacrifice of conscientious conviction or of
national welfare. Peace is normally
great good, and normally it comedies with
righteousness; but it Is righteousness and
not peace which should bind the conscience
of nation as it should bind the conscience
of an individual; and neither a nation nor
an individual can surrender conscience to
snother's keeping. Neither can nation,
which is an entity. and which does not
Gle as individuals die, refrain from taking
thought for the interest of the generations
that are to come. no less than for the In
terest of the generation of today; and no
public men have a right, whether from
shortsightedness. from selfish Indifference,
or from sentimentality, to sacrifice national
interests which are vital in character. A
just war is in the long run far better for
a nations soul than the most prosperous
peace obtained by acQuiescence in wrong
or injustice. Moreover, tho 1t Is criminal
for a nation not to prepare for war, so
that 1t may escape the dreadful conse-
quences of being defeated in war, yet II
must always be remembered that even to
be defeated in war may be far better than
not to have fought at all. AS has been well
and finely said, a beaten nation is not
necessarily disgraced nation; but the
nation man is disgraced If the obligation
to defend right is shirked.
We should as a nation do everything in
our power for the cause of honorable peace.
1t is morally as indefensible for nation
to commit wrong upon another nation,
strong weak, as for an individual thus
to wrong his fellows. We should do ali
In our power to hasten the day when there
shall be peace among the nations-a peace
based upon justice and not upon cowardly
submission to wrong. We can accomplish
a good deal in this direction. but we can
not accomplish everything, and the pen
atty OF attempting to do too much would
y,,ox hi ho 10 n n
nothing; for it must be remembered that
fantastic extremists are not in reality lead
ers of the causes which they espouse, but
are ordinarily those who do most to hamper
age the cause itself. AS yet there is no
likelihood Of establishing any kind of in
ternat ional power of whatever sort, which
can effectively check wrongdoing. and in
foolish and an evil thing for a>great and
free nation to deprive itself of the power
to protect It's own rights and even In ex-
ceptional cases to stand up for the rights
iniquity, nothing would further defer the
reign upon earth of peace and righteous
ness. than for the free and enlightened
peoples which, tho with much stumbling
and many shortcomings, nevertheless strive
toward justice, deliberately to render them
selves powerless while leaving every des
potism and barbarism armed and able to
work their wicked will The chance for
the settlement OF disputes pedCe1uliy, by
arbitration, now depends mainly upon the
possession by the nations that mean to do
right of sufficient armed strength to make
their purpose effective.
The Navy and Army.
The United States Navy is the surest
guarantor of peace which this country
possesses. 1t is earnestly to be wisht that
we would profit by the teachings Of his
tory In this matter. A strong and wise
people will study its own failures no less
than It's triumphs. for there is wisdom to
be learned from the study of both, of the
mistake as well Of the success. For this
purpose nothing could be more instructive
than a rational study of the war of 1912,
as it is told, for instance, by Captain Mahan.
There was only one way in which that war
could have been avoided. If during the pre-
ceding twelve years a navy relatively as
strong as that which this country now has
had been built up. and an army provided
relatively as good as that which the country
now has, there never would have been the
slightest necessity of fighting the war; and
If the necessity had arisen the war would
under such circumstances have ended with
our speedy and overwhelming triumph.
But our people during those twelve years re-
fused to make any preparations whatever,
regarding either the Army or the Navy
They saved million or two of dollars by so