The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-04-22

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| peace. and that the time has passed
| when any one or two nations can be
tpermitted to break it, Their disputes
must be arbitrated Civilized ma
tons have now acquired a common
right to be consulted when the peace
the world is at stake, and the
crime of man killing man, the crime
of crimes, is threatened.
The late prime minister of Britain
in his speech to the -Parliamen-
tary union in London two years ago
advocated such league, which
would naturally be followed in due
course by the international supreme
court. This court the last Hauge con-
ference approved in principle unani-
mously, differing only upon the man
ner of selecting the judges, which is
surely a detail not impossible of So
luton.
The only alternative is an anxious
period Of ever-inCreasing ornaments
and feverish unrest probably ending
in devastating wars mutually destruc-
tive and sowing the poisonous seeds
of jealousy, distrust and mutual
hatred. parents of future wars in
generations to come For what can
war but other wars breed!
Meanwhile let us congratulate our
selves upon the world having moved
one step forward. Whatever solution
NAV be found of the war spectre
now so luridly appearing before us,
this we now know-it cannot be
through increased ornaments. The
last few weeks have torn that sup
t,,t1 f,,1, n
is nothing left of it. But ii has
served this great end; it has brought
the nations face to face at last with
the truth that increased ornaments
of one mean increased ornaments of
others. with no gain to either. on
the contrary their rivalry is tptensi-
fled and the dangers of war greater
than before. When either men or ma
tons differ if one begins to arm the
other loses no time in also grasplng
his weapon Peace flies when arming
begins. Thus the fallacy that in
creased ornaments insure peace is eX-
ploded and another policy must soon
be tried.
Second in Rank.
Let us remember that Britain and
Germany are only two of the naval
powers. Our own country today is
as naval power second in rank, and
there are other powers which have
a right to be heard in this crisis dan
gerous to all, since all are forced to
suffer under present conditions. Is
our peace loving congress, which has
shown a wise reluctance for years to
any great increase of battleships, to
be compelled to reverse its pacific
policy and increase our fleet solely
because of British and German
rivalry. from which we have right
to be free? The nations which have
resisted wasting their revenues upon
armies and naVies and which wish to
continue this pacific policy have
rights in this matter. 1t cannot be
doubted that our president and sec
rotary of state are today graVely
concerned about this momentous ques-
ton.
We have no right to assume that
either Germany or Britain would de-
cline a conference or refuse to con-
slider a league of peace proposed by
the late prime Minister of Britain,
but whatever might he the result we
should be able to fix the RESPONSE
blity for consequences upon the real
dsturber of the worlds peace. The
peaceful nations have right to
know the guilty nation or nations,
whether one or both-heaVy indeed
will be it's responsibility
It seems prominently the mission
of our peaceful industrial republic,
which most frequently lies beyond
the vortex of miitarism which en-
CULTS Europe, to lead the world to the
reign of peace under law. She it
was who led the Hague conference In
urging an internationl supreme court,
Her congress, alone among the chief
nations, has shown a wise moderation
in voting from time to time only
| one half the number of dread
naughts'' recommended by the ex-
ecutiVe. She covets no new territory.
| on the contrary she has relinquished
control of Cuba, and is preparing the
I Fflipinos for independence, and is at
heart the friend of all nations. She
| is pre- eminently the apostle of peace
| full arbitration. Such is her peaceful
policy. Such her example to the dis
| turbing naval powers. One cannot
but indulge the hope that our presi-
| dent in due time may find a way
| open, without being intrusive, to exert
| his vast influence in favor of peace;
| to call attention of the two disturbing
powers to the fact that our country
| has a right to speak, if not to pro-
test in behalf of it's own lmperilled
interests, and perhaps to invite the
leading naval powers to consider
whether some kind of agreement
could not be now reached which
would avert the appalling dangers
which today threaten to CONFUSE the
world in the not distant future.
| Duty Of All.
| Meanwhile, it is the duty of all our
| members, as haters of war and lovers
| of peace to urge in season and out of
season the precious truth that lasting
peace is only to be attained by an
| international league of peace pre-
pared, if necessary, to enforce peace
among errng men; this league finally
| to be perfected by an international
supreme court. To this complexion
| must it come at last.
| Fellow members of the peace So
ciety, we have found the right path.
Let us keep to it and falter not All