University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-02-26
Arbitration

International arbitration has been
much debated in Columbia since
/ President Taft announced his peace
| program. Here are the two views of
the question:
Lieutenant Ellery Farmer. COM
mandant of cadets at the University,
saws arbitration is good thing as
| far as it goes, but there comes a
! time when merely to talk over dis
puted question is impossible.
1T is in human nature to fight.
Men have been doing so since the
world began, and force will continue
10 be used to settle wrongs. There
is international arbitration going on
today, and where it works it is good;
AT the same time preparations are
made for fighting. Ii is cheaper to
be prepared for war than to be ia
ken at a disadvantage. The United
for pensions as a result OF the Civil
War. Thorough preparedness for
war on either side might possibly
have prevented this war, though the
motive to fight was very strong and
even this might not have stopped il.
To-day. however. a prepared nation is
not made the prey of all others.
As creditor of public opinion.
Lieutenant Farmer believes that the
newspaper is very powerful. 'Peo-
pie are moved by what the newspa-
pcrs say. and many that never have
an opinion on a subject watch the pa
pcrs and are guided by them; thus in
a large measure whether We shall
have peace or war rests largely with
the press of the world"
On the other hand there are those
who fully expect that in years to come
the wrongs OF nations will be set
lied in court, leaving force out of the
controversy altogether.
The idea that justice is got by
going to war is folly, for always the
stronger side wins" said Prof Man
lev o. Hudson of the School of Law.
The best thing | have ever read on
the subject is this" pointing to part
of the speech by President Taft on
March 13. 1911. "Personally, | do
not see any reason why matters of
national honor should not be referred
to courts of arbitration as matters
of private disputes are. | know that
is going further than most men are
willing to go. but | do not see why
questions of honor should not be
submitted to tribunals composed of
men of honor who understand ques-
tions of national honor"
As further expressing his views.
Professor Hudson referred to the
speech of Sir Edward Grey, made at
the same time as the PreSid ntS. Sir
Edward said: The great nations OF
the world are in bondage to their ar
mics and navieS-increaSing bond
age. 1t does not seem to NE impos-
sible that in some future years they
may discover. as some individuals
have discovered. that law is better
remedy than force. and that in all the
time they have been in bondage to.
this tremendous expenditure the
prison door has been locked on the
inside. If you think that visionary
and not in the region of practical pO-
litics. | reply that at any rate we
ought not to leave what the Presl-
dent of the United States has said
without response. 1t is response
not to proposals, because We have no
proposals before us. but it is re-
spOnse to the idea.
War is nothing more than lynch
law continued Professor Hudson.
in the old time is what the
war of the present is. The Hague
Tribunal has met twice and at the
next meeting in 1873 it will provide
a constitution for court that Will
sit all the time. Representatives
from counties will sit in this court
and the wrongs of the nations will be
Judged as those of individuals are to-
day" f. K r.