The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-21
A MiIitarN Not a Moral. Qur.tion.

Mr.. MooPFItIr STORY, president Of
tho AntI-lmperiaiist Society. il opposed
to for'iiying the Panama canal Presi-
don't rNTT il not Mr.. STOREY thinks
that tho question should admit of but
ono answer He has been interview ed
about the quest ion and ha has given he
answer II j. ,reditable 10 his heart
bat not aaitcring To his underst anding
Some If hts reasons for answering the
question in tho negative are a. follows:
By neutral ting u the ranan country will
s;reng then the -oundcnc- Of other nations In our
peaceful purposes amt slmos, certainly increa~e
m, use Of the canal ard ire prontS Aec.'Ins from
A. thus the danrcr Of war agaInS' ~ would be
dirninishcd-
No nation can AttacN ~ without great danger
and slight chance ~ success Not Japan which
would hardly leave russia unmatched nor Ter
many. with England o. her nsnA.
To fortity the cana against some IMAGINARY
danger Of war Is step backward In civilization.
IL Is to throw the opportunity q. setting the world
o great example. Of becoming the leader fOt which
tho nations walt
u must be remembered that the second Hague
scaferencc drew convention PROV Idins that
unsoriired coast ciriss. ports. &c. shall not DO
bsuibardrd from the The nations are
rialiy untc- bonds - this effect. II tho canal
rere fortified it, tcrJun would be open bonn
eardment IN case ho>hrtrS should break out
: hostile hAitie$hir or Two light approach within
ren or twelve miles and In snort time p,Gi the ends
~ the canal out OF commission and render u u.e
ssss even for orr vessels THIS riSk would be
avoided II the canal were left unfo-rn-1-
Ne do not believe that the United
States will refrain from foriifvinC the
canal 10 rroB.-tr The cause 81 arbitrn-
ton and peace Throughout the world
that Is. to be an example To other ma
tions possessing strong armies and
navisss. To fortify or not to iOrtify will
turn upon the question OF what is best
for the interests of the l'nitcd States.
which for the present must consider the
possibility Of becoming involved in
war with one or more of those great
nations Until there il an International
police capable of enforcing the decisions
If the Hague tribunal war viii never
be visionary: il may grow out OF intense
trade rivalries. il may be precipi' ated
n wound Ia racial or national pride: an
ambitious statesman NAV plan II. peo-
pie PLAYED on by demagogiIes NAV de-
mand it, To say that n nation will
he prevented from making war upon
the United states through fear of being
attacked b. other nations as powerful
il TO assume that riy ais or enemies can
not and do not contract alliances "a self
interest requires
Nations AZ war have not alwavs been
restrained nv sentiment or a sense OF
honor. nor even by written treaty signed
9and sealed. when they could triumph by
superior force or better strategy No
Intelligent man can doubt that IL a
nation AT war with the nited States
could compel our Government TO make
peace bv seiZing the Panama Canal.
whether it were fortified or not. no
scruples would stand in the wav Of the
accomplishment of that purpos.
President TAFT at the banquet of the
American Society for Judicial Settle
ment OF Internal ional Disputes in Wash
ington put the matter unanswerably
when he said that the canal ought to be
fortified 40 that. should any nation for
get it's obligation we shall be in posi-
ton TO prevent unlawful injury 10 this
instrument Of commerce 50 valuable 10
the world and so INDISPENSABLE. tous