The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-12-06
ON Arbitration
hND GREAT BRITAIN
Surest and Quickest Means
by Which Universal Peace
May Be Effected

of Christianity war was the rule, peace
the exception.
I'm spite of the fact that the divine
ly appointed spokesman of Christianity
eloquently pleaded for universal peace
among all men and all nations and
that. in defiance Of this constant APP
peal, wars were waged, still it must
be admitted that they occurred less
frequently than before and were con-
Quoted with less cruelty and less in
humanity. The reasons for this, if
time permitted. could be clearly stated.
However it would be unjust to infer
from this fact that Christianity has
failed in her mission of peace to the
nations. 1t should be borne in mind
that the Christian religion enforces
her humane precepts not by the
sword, but by moral and religious sane
tions, and that in contending for
peace she has to struggle against the
most formidable of earthly forces and
the most imperious of human passions
'It is a gratifying fact that, with a
population of about 100.000,000. the
army of the United States does not
exceed 10000 men, who are scattered
for the most part along the frontiers
of the country. This force, while sufB-
ciently strong to preserve our domestic
peace, is too insignificant to excite the
fear or provoke the jealousy of our
neighbors Our best security lies in
the supremacy of the law, in the loyal
ty OF our citizens, in their strong at
tachment to our free institutions aud
in abstention from entangling alli-
ances.
'That the cause of international
peace is gaining ground is evident
from the fact that war is no longer
precipitated among Christian nations.
as in former times. at the whim Of
the sovereign, but the voice of the peo-
pie is heard through their representa-
tives and the press, at least in consti-
tutional governments. Commercial in
terests and fraternal and social rela-
tions between the nations of the earth
are now becoming so intertwined that
one country can hardly infiict an in
jury on another without having the
blow recoil upon itself.
Arbitration the Proper Course.
"In well ordered society the disputes
Of individuals are settled not by re-
course to duel. but to the law. Would
1t not be a blessing to humanity if
national controversies were composed
on the same principles and tFat the
just cause of nation should be vim.
dicated by court of arbitration rather
than by an appeal to arms? Then to
rulers, as we'll as to private ntigants.
could be applied the words, Thrice is
he armed that hath his quarrel just
And this amicable system, while pro-
tecting the rights of the weak, would
not humiliate or wound the national
pride of the strong since it does not
attempt to trench on the sovereignty
or autonomy Of any power.
christianity has not only diminished
the number but has mitigated the hor-
rors of wars. In pagan times the con-
queror rarely showed mercy to the con
quered. Vac Wits (woe to the van
quished) was his usual motto. The
cities were laid waste. The wives and
daughters of the subdued nation be-
came the prey Of the victorious soldier.
The defeated kings and generals were
obliged to grace the triumph of the
conqueror. They were led away in
chains and doomed to hopeless cap
tivity.
| Contrast the treatment of the Jews
under Titus with the conduct of Gen
eral Grant toward the conquered Con
federate states. Both generals were
engaged in a civil war. Judea was as
much an integral part of the Roman
empire as the southern states were of
the Federal Union. Its inhabitants ap-
pealed to the clemency of Titus as
forcibly as the vanquished states ap-
pealed to the magnanimity of the
northern general. Yet Grant in allow
ing the southern leader, with his Off
GERS and men to return home after the
surrender at Appomattox Court House
was not particularly praised for his
humanity.
Imagine General Lee with his sur
rendered army led in chains through
the streets Of Washington. the victo-
rious troops bearing aloft the confis-
| Gated treasures OF southern homes and
sanctuaries and the victims compelled
to erect a public monument to their
own shame!
Let us cherish the hope that the
day is not far off when the reign of the
prince Of peace will be firmly estab,
ished on the earth, when the spirit of
tie gospel will so far sway the minds
and hearts of rulers that standing ar
mics will yield to permanent courts of
arbitration, that contests will be car
ried on in the council chambers in
stead of the battlefield and decided by
the pen instead of the sword
IT we do not insist that before men
go to war they shall do everything in
their power to settle their dispute by
arbitration then might becomes right"
Eiehty-fiVs Pound Pumpkin For Taft.
II KnlIar Of Ed dvUardcviIla III 4,