The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-01

against man killing man in war, as Lin
coin became the leader in the crusade
against the selling of man by man. Much
to the dismay of mere party politicians.
Lincoln went to the root of the curse of
slavery. declaring that a nation could
not endure permanently half slave and
half free. Our leader of today declares
1t the duty of nations to refer to a court
of honor all questions thought to affect
their honor as we'll as any other ques-
lions arising between them. Thus ma
tons cannot sit judges in their own
causes. for this would violate the first
principles of natural justice, as is shown
by the fact that in our day judge known
II have sat in judgment in cause IL
which he was even in the smallest degree
personally interested, would die in in
fanny. So will nations sink into infamy
which insist much longer upon trampling
under foot this benign rule of law. Courts
OF honor. such as suggested by the Pres-
dent, are coming rapidly into favor In
countries which still Tolerate the duel.
The German Emperor especially is repu-
ted to have done much to introduce these,
and hence to restrict dueling.
II is quite true that the President, as he
says goes further than most men are
willing to co." otherwise he would not be
3 leader, for a leaders place is In the
front. But-and this is another charac-
teristic of the truly great leader-he goes
TO further than is absolutely necessary.
Had he exempted any one subject. even
honor" from Observation-Disclosures no
nation can dishonor another nation, and
no man dishonor another man, all honor
wounds being self-infiicted-he would have
foied to bridge the chasm between peace
ard the danger of war, and little would
have been gained. Armaments would con-
tinue to swell as at present, increasing
suspicion, jealousy and hatred between
the powers until war broke forth as the
natural result of mutual preparation,
which from its very nature creates what
it so vainly hopes to prevent.
When the final step Is taken and the
representatives of the nations assemble
to organize the international court, to
which they agree to submit all disputes.
ii may be assumed that they will specify
as fundamental principle that the in
dependence of nations and their existing
territorial rights shall be recognized and
upheld as an integral part of the organ
zation. Hence no disputes could erise
affecting either of these subjects. Thus
would be eliminated the chief source of
serious disputes-those affecting the
honor of vital interests of nations
Let all friends of peace hail President
Taft as our leader, rejoicing that he has
found the true solution of the problem
and placed our country in the van In the
holy crusade for international peace, an
honor to which 1t is fairly entitled as the
foremost exponent and upholder of the
rights of man, or as the poet Burns put
II in revolutionary days.
Columbias offspring, brave and free,
Ye know and dare proclaim
The royalty of man.
Well do the Intelligent masses of
Europe and our southern republics know
and appreciate the mission of this re-
public in drawing all ranks and classes
together in the bonds of brotherhood. Her
representatives will ont lack support in
these lands nor in Canada when they urge
that all international disputes shall be
arbitrated that the worlds peace may
remain unbroken.