New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-06-15
THE CONGRESS AT THE HAGUE.

The great congress which assemblies to-day at
The Hague has been SO much referred to as a
peace congress and has been introduced with SO
elaborate q prologue of pure irenics OF various
sorts that 1t would not be surprising If a con-
siderable proportion of observers should regard IL
as primarily, If not exclusively, meeting for the
immediate abolition of war and should reckon
its deliberations a disappointing failure If 1t
should fail to decree the reduction limitation
of ornaments and the universal arbitration Of
international disputes Such a view of the con-
gress Is distorted and erroneous, however, and
such an estimate Of its results would be gravely
unjust for the reason that while 1t is peace
congress and while 1t may properly and profit
ably consider the questions Of disarmament ana
arbitration It is also something more than that,
and has before It for discussion and action many
other matters Of actually greater Importance, the
right determination Of which would give to its
sessions q utility unsurpassed in the history Of
international conventions.
We say advsedy that the congress has
greater work on hand than mere disarmament
and arbitration. prevention being better than
cure. Let us grant that the abolition, reduction
or at least limitation Of ornaments would be
good thing 1t would obviously be a better
thing-it would, indeed, be an Indispensable pre-
liminary condition to dlsarmament-that the
tons should be brought into such relationships
and such q frame Of mind as would make great
ornaments no longer necessary and would move
the nations no longer TO desire them. Let us
grant--though only for the sake of argument
that the arbitration of all disputes by all nations
would be a good thing. 1t is certain that it
would be q vastly better thing to have no dis
putes at ALL The whole is greater than any
part
The supreme virtue and value of the congress
at The Hague are that 1t aims not merely at dis
armament, but at that upon which disarmament
depends, and not merely at arbitration of dis
putes but at the prevention of disputes. 1t aims
comprehensively at such improvement OF rela-
tonships among the nations as will lessen the
number and the gravity Of disputes and. there
fore, make less frequent and less formidable the
causes OF war or the need OF arbitration as a
substitute for war. 1t will not only treat for
symptoms" the dreadful disease of war; as
doctors do physical ailments which they have
not been able to diagnose whose virulence
they are not able radically to control but, while
doing that in the most effective manner possible,
it will also strike directly at the root of the evil
with preventive measures. Most disputes among
nations arise from the lack OF a code of inter
national laws to govern their proceedings. Each
nation acts In its own way. and ways often
cross and conflict But If by common and vol
Untary agreement 1t should be prescribed just
how nation should act in any given emergency
as 1t has long and most successfully been pre-
scribed how they shall act in certain cases-such
crossing and clashing of ways and all their mis-
chievous consequences would be Obviated To
do that is the aim of this congress, and it could
have no aim more hopeful of good to the world.