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

formed of the most enlightened
citizens, which was soon superseded
by regular courts of law. Only when
the arming of men was not permitted
did the reign of peace begin. Thus
was that community led to peace UNI
der law, by disarmament, and thus
only can international peace be finally
established and nations rest secure
under a police force to maintain, new
er to break, the peace.
Europe is at last realizing the dan
ger into which the policy of mutual
arming has led but is slow to see
that there is but one mode of escape,
and that through concurrent action Of
some or most of the naval powers.
Relative Power.
Within a small radius the two gi
gantic fleets of Britain and Germany
ill operate often in sight of each
other. The topic of constant discus
sion in every ship will be their rela
tive power and the consequences of
battle. The crews of the respective
navies will regard each other with
suspicion, and hatred in this repre-
senting only too truly the feelings of
a mere spark would suffice. \ few
marines ashore from two of the ships,
British and German, would be enough
"a few words pass between them, an
encounter between two, both probably
under the influence of liquor, begins;
one is wounded, blood is shed, and
the pent-up passions of the people E
both countries sweep all to the winds.
The governments are too weak to
withstand the whirlWind, or, being
men of like passions with their fell
lows, probably are in part swept away
themselves after years of jealous
rivalry into thirst for revenge. Such
the probable result-given national
jealousy and hatred, any trifle suf
fices to produce war
War has seldom an adequate cause.
1t is usually stimulated by invidious
comparisons as to relative strength
and Warlike qualities, which render
nations suspicious of each other.
The real issue between nations
usually matters little. The spirit in
which nations approach each other to
effect peaceful settlement is every
thing No difference too trifling to
create war; none too serious for
peaceful adjustment. The disposition
is all. Secretary Root gave full ex-
preston of this vital truth in his adj
dress in Washington at the laying of
the foundation stone of the bureau of
American republics. 1t is one of the
many valid objections to the policy
of armament that every increase of
naval and military power is in the
nature of a challenge to other powers,
which arouses their jealousy and
their fears, rendering them less dis
posed to settle peacefully any differ
| ence that may arise.
But even if a collision be mirac-
| ulously avoided, the guiltless, peace
| loving naval powers of the world in
turn will have been compelled to en-
bark upon the building Of excessive
navies, many of these obtained and
maintained only by eXtorting millions
| from people already bordering upon the
brink of starvation. A fatal objec-
ton to the policy of securing peace
| through increasing ornaments, is that
success is only attainable by exhaust
| ing the resources of rivals a mutual
ly destructive task probably ending
in exhausting both belligerents; fail
ing that it results in an armed truce,
under which the nations are in per-
| petual fear of attack, each straining
| its resources to increase its armament,
as they are today
League of Peace.
Hence. to save nations from them
| selves there must sooner or later
| emerge from the present unparalleled
| increase of ornaments a league of
peace embracing the most advanced
nations, proclaiming that since the
| world has now shrunk into a neigh
borhood and is in instantaneous COM
munication, its total commerce year
ly exceeding $4,000 100000 all civilized