New-York tribune., 1908-05-04
THE CENTRAL AMERICAN EXAMPLE,.

A correspondent whose letter we print else
where in to-days Tribune enlarges upon the
interesting and auspicious experiment in inter
national arbitration and peaceful convention
N-hirh is heing made in Central America and
commends 1T to the world for study and emula-
ton. With much that he says on that subject
and also about the work of the late conference
at The Hague we cordially agree. We have
already given much hopeful consideration in
these columns to the new order of affairs in
Central America, and have maintained that, in
sptp Of the doIeful lamentations OF some e1-
treme peace advocates. the meeting at The
Hague was fruitful Of much good to the world.
and we shall watch with sympathetic interest
for such further elucidation of those affairs as
NAV be made at the forthcoming assemblage at
Lake Mohonk, 70 which correspondent calls
attention. a~4s -sssI
If should not. however, escape notice that the
Central American example is not entirely reas-
s,lring and does not provide an impeccable anal
oev for all other nations For some time there
have been dsduieting reports of conspiTacies
against the peace and Of actual disturbance IN
Guatemala SO that it is impossible TO avoid the
conclusion that a national or international en-
actment "AIl men be good" is not an infallible
eliminator and preventive of evil. We believe
that the Central American peace and arbitra-
ton compact is an excellent thing and that it
will he productive or considerable gOOu, DuL
that it will instantly transform the thoughts
and habits of the people Of those states Is TOO
much reasonably to expect. 1t has not entirely
protected the five republics from danger of con-
spiracies and disturbances, though II has doubt
less strengthened their hands for dealing with
such things. We do not look for complete cessa-
ton of trouble in Central America because Of
that compact and we shall not condemn the
rompact as futile and a failure If occasional
trouble comes. ~ e2a9sspIEM
1t should be observed also that there is an
essential difference between the making OF such
a compact among those states and the making
of one anything like it among the nations OF
the world at large. Our correspondent himself
suggests this in mentioning the fact that tue
five Central American states have "a common
language race and climate" They are geograph-
icaliy compact they have no detached interests.
they have substantial unity of traditions, spirit
and ideals, they were originally under single
government, and they have never in all their
history lost sight of the principle Of organic
union end TO be sought But Of what
other group of now Independent states all
that be said? Instead, must say Of most
other nations precisely the contrary. They diff
fer In race, language, origin, traditions, spirit,
ideals, aims; they are physically widely sepa-
rated, and their interests divergent, If not
conflicting. Obviously it would be too much to
expect that a system perfectly workable in the
would prove equally applicable TO an
other case of precisely contrary conditions.
This is said not at all by way of discourage
ment to the propaganda of arbitration and
peace, but as reminder Of some of the inevta-
bic, though We trust not insuperable, obstacles
in the way. Our correspondents discriminating
eulogy of the late Hague conference and its
work is, we believe, fully merited. Yet 1t must
not be forgotten that much, perhaps most, Of its