The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1906-12-04

conference nelu ~ Geneva lasf summer,
and the subjects which naturally would
come before The Hague conference, made
II anpaf 'nt that Il was desirable 20 have
the work OF the Red Cross conference
completed ana considered by the diuerent
powers before the meeting az The Hague.
The Red Cross conference ended IFS La
bors on the 6th day of july, and the re-
vised and amended convention, which was
signed By the American delegates, Will
be promptly laid before the senate.
BY the SPECIAL aud highly appreciated
courtesy OF the governments Qi RUSSIA
and the Netherlands, proposal 70 can
The Hague conference together at time
which would conflict with the conference
Of the American republics az Rio Qe
janeiro Va August was laid aside. NO
other date has yet been suggested. a
tentative program for the conference has
been proposed by the government OF
Russia, and the subjects which it enumer-
ates are undergoing careful eNamlnati3n
and consideration In preparation for the
conference.
II must ever be kept in mind that war
Is not merely justlnable, but imperative,
upon honorable men, upon an honorable
nation. whore peace can only be obs
tained BY the sacrifice OF conscientious
conviction or or national welfare. Peace
is normally a great gacd and normally
II colncides with righteousness; but Il IS
righteousness and not peace which shoula
bind the conscience OF nation as u
should bind the conscience OF an indivld-
ual; and neither a naacn nor an inciVia-
ual can surrender conscience to another
keeping. Neither can a nation, which is
an entity, and which does not die as IN
dividUals die, refrain from taking thought
for the interest Of the generations that
are TO come, no less than for the interest
Of the generation on to-Gay. and no pubic
men have a right, whether from short
from sentimentality to sacrifice national
interests which are vital in character. a
Just war is In the long run lar better for
q nations soul than the most prosperous
peace obtained by acquiescence in wrong
or Injustice. Moreover. tho II is criminal
for nation not To prepare for war, 50
that il may escape the dreadful conse-
quences Of being defeated in war yet L
must always be remembered that even 70
he defeated in war may be Ear better
han not 10 have fought at all. AS has
been well and finely said, beaten nation
Is not necessarily disgraccd natoni but
the nation or man is disgraced il the obh-
cation to defend night 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 a wrong upon anothef
nation, strong or weak, as for an individ-
ual thus to wrong his fellows We should
do all In our power to hasten the day.
when there shall be peace among the ma
tions-a peace based upon justice and not
upon cowardly submission to wrong. We
can accomplish good deal IN this direc-
tiOn but we can not accomplish every
thing, and the penalty OF attempting to
do too much would almost inevitably be
TO do worse than nothing; for it must be
remembered that fantastic extremists are
not in reality leaders of the causes which
they espouse, but are ordinarily. those
who do most to hamper the real leaders
of the cause and to damage the cause IT.
self. AS yet there is no Likelihood OF
establishing any kind of International
power. Of whatever sort, which can effec-
lively check wrongdoing, and IN these cir
cumstances 1t would be both foolish and
an evil thing for a great and free nation
to deprive itself Of the power to protect
Its own rights and even in exceptional
cases to stand up for the rights Of others.
Nothing would more promote indquity,
nothing would further defer the reign
upon earth Of peace and Righteousness,
than for the free and enlightened peoples
which, tho with much stumbling and
many shortcomings, nevertheless strive
toward justice, deliberately 70 render
themselves powerless while leaving every
despotism and barbarism armed and able
to work their wicked will. The chance
for the settlement OF disputes peacefully,
by arbitration now depends mainly upon
the possession by the nations that mean
to do right of sufficient armed strength
.I~r.T 1.&~ fsffA