Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-21
Sunday Morning Talk,
Goodbye to War.

If YOU are really looking for bright spots
on the horizon. if you would prefer to be
an optimist rather than a pessimist. all
you have to do is to keep your eyes on the
movement for peace among nations. IL is
acquiring tremendous Roadway. Almost
any morning you may wake up and learn
that another treaty designed to obviate
all occasion for warfare has been con-
Guided Already fifty-six nations have
conSummated such arbitration treaties
with one another The ablest statesmen in
the cabinets. chancelleries, parliaments
and congresses of the world are perpieXinS
themselves to forfend strife They know
how costly it is of blood and OF treas
ure.
If some of these govern ments stu De
lieve 1t to be the wiSest policy to main
tain large armies and navies, L believe
the ruling motive is the desire to per-
petuate peace rather than 10 make ag-
gressions upon their neighbors- OF course
every nation wants its rights. IL wants
chance at the markets OF the world. IL
wants to be free from the fear of at
tack But where is the nation that
aspires TO be lord of the whole world, TO
take a place in the modern world CORE
sponding to imperial Rome in the days
of Caesar? Where is the general or ad-
miral possessed with the passion that
burned in the heart of the first Napoleon.
who would see all Europe at his feet?
We have reached an era when inter
nationalism IS the dominant thought.
when each nation is coming to see that
il may have its proper place in the
world and accomplish its mission while
at the same time other nations have
their rights and opportunities. their ca
nacities and their peculiar contribution 10
make to the life of the race. For the hrst
time in history official representatives of
practically all the nations of the world
have been together under one roof. That
assemblage at The Hague last summer
was the nearest approach To the realiza-
tion of Tennvson'S parliament OF Man
that has ever been seen III not every
thing was accomplished which the most
ardent friends of peace could wish IL was
in itself demonstration OF the unuerIyins
unity of all mankind of the possibility
of a confederation that shall ere long
make war impossible. a relic Of less en-
liehtened ages, barbarouS, senSeleSs,
futile method of settling disaSreements
What has brought about this marvel
Gus change of sentiment IN so compare
lively short a time? One cause is the
constant passing 10 and fro OF travellers
Citizens OF one land are increasingly Ia
niliar with countries remote from theirs
The visit of japanese statesmen ana pusl-
ness men to America. the coming or STU
dents from Japan and China the ieputa-
tions of Iaymen which the missionary So
ciaties have sent to the orient, all make
for the promotion of good viii The Law
ieh hcspitality extended in England to
the president of the French republic,
the ccurtesies paid in Great Britain TO
representative group Of German Christian
ministers make it all the less likely that
there will ever be hostilities between
the nations thus brought into friendly re-
lationships.
The business interests of the world are
casting the weight of their powerful in