The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-10-18
World Peace.

In spite of all the paciist agitations of the
past twenty-five years preparations for war go
merrily on. The sentiment everywhere among
the big powers which meet at The Hague is that
if we wish for peace must fight for it. Even
administration with Wilson and Bryan at its
head keeps up the work of launching super
dreadnaughts and torpedo destroyers. Aeroplane
fleets are being manned and built and automobile
squadrons equipped for every imaginable
function on the anticipated field of battle
Meanwhile debaters debate and orators cry
for peace. Statesmen evolve vast schemes for
bringing the world to terms and every other man
has plan which would set things right tomor-
row. In such a mixup of theories, facts, schemes,
dreams and ideas, a disinterested student of af-
fairs is somewhat at a loss as to how to size up
the situation.
But there are one or two factors at work on
which it will be we'll to lay hold in confidence of
reaching some kind of certain ground. One
thing is that much of the talk about 'the nations
preparing for war" and "the political schemes of
ACKNOWLEDGMENT" is pretty much all fallacous.
1t is not politicians who drive to war, nor
statesmen, diplomats it is economic pressure.
The machinery of industry exchange and
credit is of such nature that it must extend
perforce. Economic development cares little for
flag or color it's sole motion is expansion. AS
water flows to seek its level economic interests
move towards the highest returns on invest
ment. The real invasion of the East by the
West, of which much has been said, is an in
dustrial invasion. There has been not much de-
sire to subjugate Orientas merely for the sake
of subj ugaton, there has been only an inevitable
movement of capital toward new markets.
Peace cannot be brought about by agitation,
conferences, tribunals or any other force save
by worldwide regulation and control of econo-
mic forces. 1t is not the white man nor the Eng
ishman nor the German which has mastered
the Hindu and the Chinaman; it is the superior
technique of production as invented and used by
the Occidental which has driven him even
against his will to unfurl his flag from the masts
of the Far East.
To complicate the situation still further this
very economic expansion which drives Ameri-
can and European capital to foreign lands itself
prepares them for war. Too long the West has
remained under the delusion of the "Oriental
Mind" There is no such thing. The passvity,
the helplessness, and the impracticality of the
far easterner is merely reflex of his own COM
mercial and industrial conditions. Before Per-
rvs trip to Japan in 1858 the japanese were
pointed to example of the passive Oriental.
Since that time and after the industrial invasion
of the Mikado's empire, the Japanese have
proven themselves as anything but passive and
helpless
Steam has entered their blood, electricity has
put soul into them and the energy called forth
by a new industrial development manifests
itself in one of the most efficient war equipments
possessed by any land.
The world, therefore, finds itself tossed on
the horns of this dilemma. Industrial develop
ment compels the encroachment of Western in
terests on Eastern soil and yet that very advance
itself develops in the Oriental the ability and
the will to resent and to oppose. In such a pre-
dcament the chances of peace grow more and
more remote and yet at the same time more nee
essary.