The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-12-26
JUSTICE RATHER THAN
FORCE IS SUGGESTED
By Governor Baldwin Before
the Peace Conference
at Washington.
IN ANNUAL SPEECH
President of the Conference
Gives Number of Rea-
sons for Position.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2i.-Justice
rather than selt-serving force as the
normal rule of international inter-
course is the hope for the future ex-
pressed by Governor Simeon E. Bald
win of Connecticut before the Amer
lean Society for the judicial Settle
ment of International Disputes last
night.
In his address as president of the
society, the governor described the
growth OF the movement tending to-
ward the establishment Of an inter-
national court of justice, and found
such court to be natural incident
of the evolution of the modern world.
He said in part:
1T has been a distinctive feature
of the international diplomatic CON
yentions of the last three quarters
of century, that there have often
been agreements between a few
powers to regulate the conduct OF
other nations of less political i'm
portance. European practice pro-
nounces such action justifable. as a
matter of self-protection. making on
the whole for the common good.
Where it is taken by the consent
of all the powers whom what is so
concerted may affect, no fault can
be found with such conventions. But
IL that consent is wanting, the ends
to further which this society has
been organized seem to me incon-
sistent with any doctrine that rests
at bottom on the assumption that
might makes right. We stand for a
course of proceeding, which in it's ma
ture demands impartlality, and so
postulates equality of treatment.
Belgium has no navy. though
possessing so important a port, aa
Antwerp, and large commercial in
terests in Africa 1t is because she
has been neutrallzed by concert
between several Of the great Euro
pean powers. Is it impossible that
with the general progress of human
society, so rapid of late years, the
time be near when similar concert
may effectually guaranty the powers
which are parties to it against i'm
vasion by each other.
Il do not affirm that this posi-
billty exists. There has hardly been
a concert OF powers more imposing
than that of Paris in 1856, or that OF
Berlin in 1878.
In the face OF this and OF the
Hague convention of 1907. for the
Pacific Settlement OF International
Disputes, to the preparation Of which
Italy and Turkey, were both parties,
though neither has ratified 1t, we
have seen Italy take possession OF
Tripoli and then annex 1t, by formal
act Of her legislative assembly, with
out any public protest by any of the
great powers. We have since seen
them look on, without open remon-
STRANGE. while the Balkan peoples
were apparently bent on driving Tur-
key out of Europe.
4 do not, therefore, dare to hope
that there will be in the near future
such a thing as an efectual and per-
petual guaranty Of the territorial
integrity of any country by other
countries. But Of this / do feel con-
iidcnt, that no guaranty, designed to
be of such a nature, will long sur
viye the interests, to support which
it was devised, unless it be fortified
by some sanction of an imposing
character
War has such character. 1t
carries with It the pomp of power.
Its instruments are planned, in part,
and formerly were planned in great
part, for scenic effect ANY substi-
tute for it must, II possible, be some
thing not less psychologicalIy Inn
pressive. f.
The human mind naturally re-
spends to the sentiment of justice.
Justice in the abstract is naturally
represented by court in the concrete.
The thoughtful men in every land
control its politics, and to them what,
of earthly make, can be more inn
posing than justice, administered In
stately building, such as that to
be opened next September at the
Hague and in stately form, by per-
manent and impartial court. accord
ing to previously established rulesg
But justice Is never so strong as
when 1t is identified with expediency.