The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1911-05-04
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Gladstone's Opinion of the Dis
armament of Nations.
Universal Peace, the Grand Old Man
Declared, II 1t Ever Came Would
Be Based Upon Strength, Fear
and Power.
BY E. j. EDWARDS.

4 never read of the proceedings Of
peace conventions or associations
without wondering what would have
been the result had Gladstone taken
part in the proceedings. For it was my
good fortune to learn from his own
lips what he thought of disarmament
and universal peace" said Senator
Chauncey NJ. Depew at a time when
universal peace proposals we're assail
ing the ears Of the nations.
ut happened upon an occasion
shortly after Gladstone had resigned
the Office of premier in June, 1885.
was guest at dinner In London at
which were assembled some of the
leading men in British public life, one
or two governors of the Bank of Eng
land. and two or three of the great
financiers Of Europe. Mr.. Gladstone
was there as the guest of honor.
Before the dinner had gone far
began to learn at first hand of the
manner in which Gladstone collected
that fund of detailed Information
which made him the wonder Of ev,
eryone in Europe who knew him. He
turned to one of the flnanciers.
How much gold do you expect
from Australia this year, he asked.
when he was told the amount
have forgotten what it was. several
millions--he turned to another finan.
cier.
"'How much gold is India going to
send us?' he asked. Are they pro-
ducing any gold in the Lahore dis
trict? How do they transport the
gold from the mines at Lahore to the
seaport
"The answers called for received
Mr.. Gladstone's next question was put
to me, and when I had answered as
best I could regarding this country s
were directed to others at the table
Then, for moment. the Grand Old
Man was silent. 'Ah,' he said, break
ing his silence, the world is produc
ing about an hundred millions of new
gold a year and England ought to get
at least half Of it. He had in his
mind for future reference and use.
"The conversation was changed and
some one spoke about the question OF
disbanding the armies of Europe and
curtailing the building of navies.
How large a standing army has
Germany? asked Mr.. Gladstone Of one
Of the gentlemen near by, and receiv
ing the answer he asked successfully
of as many men how large were the
standing armies. of France, Italy and
Russia. Then he turned to me. Mr.
Depew,' he said, you have no stand
ing army in the United States worthy
of the name. You have only your
militia I told him that his informa
ton on the subject was correct.
Gladstone was again silent for a
moment or two. evidently making
mental computations. At last he
looked up. and as he did so began to
speak in that wonderfully deep and
perfectly modulated voice of his.
Well. gentlemen he said, the
standing armies of Europe number
one million men. | speak in round
numbers; the figures are approximate
ly correct. Therefore. In view OF
that fact, tell you that in my opin.
ion the talk Of disarmament is alb,
surd, because it is impossible. The
day Is many generations distant, and
the nature of individuals. as well as
Of nations. must be greatly changed
before disarmament will ever be a
fact or anything else than a vague,
hypothetical condition. We may
have peace. but it will be peace based
upon strength, fear and power"
Copyright, 1910 by e. ]. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved)