Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-27
Peace Among Nations.

of Mr.. Bryce, British ambassador, be-
fore the Mohonk Lake Conference on
international arbitration. In the
course of his remarks, he said:
AT this moment all the govern
ments are, venture to belieVe'
honestly DESTROYS of peace. NOT one Oh
them has any cause for war. Not one
of them but would lose by war far
more than it would gain. Yet 1t is APP
parently possible for those who desire
from whatever motives. to stir up sus-
picion and enmity to succeed in con-
yincing each nation that the other ma )
designs upon it,"
1t would certainly seem as if Wher~
the nations of the world are earnestly
DESTROYS of peace. there should be
no very great difficulty in maintain
ing it, and yet the civilized nations are
spending millions and millions OF
dollars every year in preparations for
war, evidently upon the theory thar
the best possible way to prevent it IS
to be prepared for it. There is nothing
more easy " uONClcp AhoA - foEN-
suspicion OF the motives of anothe"
nation, especially one that is to any
extent in competition with our own.
An instance of this has been the re-
cent widespread prophecies in this
country of future clash with Japan.
and yet no sensible man has ever been
able to advance any good reason why
the traditional friendship between the
two powers should not continue in the
future as it has in the past, and there
is the strongest reason to believe that
the governments OF the two nations
were never on better terms than they
are today. Such rumors are peculiarly
unaccountable when they come at
time when Japan has every reason for
maintaining amicable relations with
this country and is in no condition to
enter into hostilities with any other
power. There is not the slightest rea-
son to doubt her oft-repeated asser-
ton that she desires to maintain peace
with all nations Her people are
carrying a heavy burden of taxation
as a result of the enormous eXpendi-
lures occasiOned by the war with
Russia and certainly have every possi-
BILE motive for the maintenance of
long peace that will enable them to
develop the natural resources OF their
country and recuperate from the
heavy losses imposed upon them by
the great war through which they
have so recently passed.
Not long ago a similar suspicion was
abroad in this country with reference
to the designs of Germany, which ma
ton was reported as exceedingly
DESTROYS of putting the Monroe doc
trine to the test. In fact, Germany
bugbear by the promoters of war
scares, largely by the yellow journals
who seek to extend their calculations
by the PRONUNCIATION of news of this
character For many years France
has been made to believe that she
must keep a constant watch of Ger
many in order to prevent further ag
gressiOn on the part of that power
and as result has maintained a large
standing army and a powerful navy
which have been a heavy burden upon
her taxpayers. Just now, rumors Of
German invasion are agitating all
and that country is frantic
ally moving for the enlargement of It's
army. STILL there is not the slightest
reason to believe that Germany has
any desire to have anything but
friendly relations with both the
French and English people. In fact.
her policy was never more pacific than
it is at the present time.
Unquestionably the sentiment OF
the civilized world today is favorable
to peace, and yet the lessons of his
tory snow tndt wars often come IN the
lives of nations when they are least
expected. and. oftentimes, when there
is the least reason for them I'm
questionably, it would not be wise for
any nation in this age of the world
to enter into disarmament unless that
should be the general policy Of civili-
cation, and, Furthermore, it has been
shown in the case of our own country
that a good navy may be used even
more efficiently in the advertising of
a nation and the cultivation of
friendly relations with other powers OF
the world than in actual warfare.
the day may come when ma
tons shall beat their swords into
and their spears into
pruning hooks; nation shall not lift
up sword against nation, neither shall
they learn war any more" but it is
evident that it is still in the more or
Il .,,H,.