The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-05-18

hard headed statesmen must have some
argument that is ssreal, let them take up
the question of money spent on ornaments
Gold and silver are realities surely; nations
al treasure is no doubt actual. Well, in
1908 the eight leading nations Of the world
spent upon their armies and navies in time
Of peace $3.50, 0Oo, 900, which meant a
per captiaover $500 for their citizens,
while in 1910, four nations, England, Ger.
many, France and the United States spent
$50, 3s2, $50. These figures are taken
from the ssNaval Annual, and we persume
they are substantially correct.
This for armament alone This crush
ing and increasing outlay on the mere pre-
paration for war is so real thing, that
the English Foreign Minister (Sir Edward
Grey has lately called it the most appall-
ing fact which confronts modern statesman
ship, and he added: sfthat if this mounting
expense were not somehow checked, there
would soon be prospect, not of foreign
wars, but internal revolutions. And how
do our great realists among public men,
who scoff at the possibility of making
an end of war by treaties or universal arbi-
tration, how do they meet this argument
from the intolerable burden of taxation for
war in time of peacel Why they do it by
process of reasoningso self contradictory,
SO fantastic that it deserves to be known as
one of the least real things ever heard
Of War is inevitable, therefor if we spend
this money in preparation we can avert
war, still war is inevitable We. are in
more danger from Immediate war today
among ourselves, then we are from any
foreign power on earth. And unless some
of these burdens of taxes are lifted from the
shoulders of the American people, there
wont be patriotism enough left in us to
lick any country. Patriotism is not called
out or promoted by burdens which amount
to cruelty. If this mania and rivalry for
war armament goes on, until the rank and
file are reduced to serfdom, the progress of
civilization will indeed have been stopped.
The growing interdependence of the ma
tions one upon the other in their banking,
credits, trade and commerce will be another
powerful factor to prevent war. We all
know that when you have struck at an in
dividuars or nations pocket book,
you have struck tender spot in the anato-
my of either. There are today Interna-
tional holdings of each others securities,
stocks, bonds, investments, trade conces-
sions etc. So closely interviewer with each
other, that no two of the great powers can
go to war with each other, without drawing
into confusion and ruinous loss, the fnan-
cial and commercial affairs of all the others.
Why there would be such protest 20
forth from these interests, and you know
what that means in way of influence, that
there would be found way and quick
one too, to settle the trouble without re-
course to the sword. That influence would
hold the nations to the last extremity and
make a war practically impossible.
Military supremacy cannot win CONNER
cial supremacy nor give it the market Of
the world. The argument that war is
morally wrong but profitable is farce,
and no one knows it any better than the
financial interests, and the only interests
you will find on the side Of war will be
those who have had their spoons in the
Government soup bowl. Depend on it we
shall have the financial interests influence
for International Peace.
If England and the y. S. join in treaty
to submit all questions of disputes to ar
bitration, which now looks favorable, it
will be as easy to bring the other countries
to see the benefits and come into the COM
pact as it were to enact international law
and have it force and power to be obeyed.
The German Chancellor has admitted
that by ythe principles of unrestricted arbi-
tration, two nations like England and the
y. 5. could dispose Of all matters Of con-
ltroyersy at present in sight, but if new ques-
tions arose arbitration might prove made
quate. Now At first sight it may appear TO Be
very practical and statesmanlike TO scan the
future for objections TO scheme which not
even the most ardent opponent can say that