The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-11-09
Suggests That Arbitration
Clause Should Be En-
bodied in Treaties.
DRAWS FINE LESSON
From the Pacafying Policy
Employed by China All
These Years.

current number Of the outlook. IT
says in part:
Surely the real friends of peace In
this country ought to be able to prof
it by the eveats that have happened
in China and in the Mediterranean
during these very fall months, since
the arbitration treaty was considered
in the Senate. During these months
we have seen a widespread revolt in
China, with utter DISCRIMINATION oil
the Empire, and we have seen war
Unexpectedly break out between Italy
and Turkey In China there has
doubtless been much excuse for the
revolt because of tyranny and mis-
government, and this tyranny and
misgovernment have been greater
than in any really civilized nation,
although the Chinese are far more
unwarlike than any civilized nation,
and have an army very much less
efficient than that OF any civilized
power The complete absence Of
militarism in China and Chinas eff
fort to rely purely on pacific meas
ures in dealing with all foreign pow
ers, have not only caused 1t to lose
various provinces to various foreign
powers within the last few decades,
but have had not the smallest effect
in saving it from tyranny. misgov-
arnment, and the most far-reachins
economic misery at home. and, more
over, have had the effect of depriv-
ing 1t Of means even of keeping or
der within its own boundaries.
"As for the war between Italy and
Turkey, l am not now concerned will
its ethical justification. Personally,
believe that it is in the interest of
humanity that Tripoli should fall
under European control, Just as it IS
in the interest of humanity that
Morocco shall SO fall; just as it has
been of Unreasonable benefit to man
kind, and especially to Algerian and
Egyptian mankind, that Algeria and
Egypt should fall under the control
of France and England But this is
not the point. The point is that this
war proves the utter inefficiency OF
paper treaties when they are unback-
ed by force; the utter folly of those
who believe that these paper treaties
accomplish any useful purpose in the
present stage of the worlds devel-
opment when there is no force behind
them; and, finally, not merely thu
folly but the iniquity of making
treaties which there is no real intea-
tion of putting into effect. Turkeys
treaties with various European pow
ers explicitly guarantee her integrity
and on the mere technical legalit!es
of the case no court of arbitration ia
the world could possibly declare IN
any other way than as against Italy
and for Turkey If the case at issue
between them were brought to arbl-
tration. Turkey has all the protec-
ton possible to give her by paper
treaties; and yet all of these treaties
thus guaranteeing her against dis
memberment, thus pledging the honor
of various great nations to guarantee
her integrity, are not worth as much
as single gunboat of the smallest
size the minute that 1t becomes worth
while for any serious opponent to
attack her. If Turkey had had a
fleet which relatively to other fleets
was even approximately as strong as
her army, no man of any sense be-
lieyes that the war would ever have
occurred. She had no such fleet; she
had merely the protection the treat
les afforded her; and the minute the
test came the treaties proved not only
utterly insufficient as a substitute
for navy, but not worth the paper
upon which they were written. Id
passing, be 1t observed that this was
quite as much because the treaties
promised too much as for any other
reason.
1T would be not merely foolish
but wicked for us as a nation to agree
to arbltrate any dispute that effects
our vital interest or our indepen-
Gence or our honor; because such an
agreement would amount on our part
TO covenent to abandon our duty,
to an agreement to surrender the
rights Of the American people about
unknown matters at unknown times
in the future. Such an agreement
would be wicked If kept. and yet to
break it-as it undoubtedly would be
broken il the occasion arose-wouid
be only less shameful than keeping
BIT. A self-executing arbitration treaty
of such kind cannot be devised,