The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-06-21
THERE IS A TINE WHEN
WAR IS NECESSARY
Why Lyman Abbott, Peace Advo-
cate, Favors a Strong Army
and Navy.
In an Interview Declares Christians
Are Not For Peace at
Any Price.
Says America Has Not Always
Lived Up to the Spirit
of Her Treaties.

of Her Treaties.
are not vicious elements in human ma
ture. They are not to be destroyed;
the are to be guided by reason and
directed to beniticent ends. There are
times when war is necessary. The
history of the world would be poorer
than it is if there were no records Of
war on it's pages; if there had been no
heroes who dared to fight for justice
and liberty.
Christians have not stood and ought
not to stand for peace at any price.
They have recognized and they ought
to recognize that there are worse things
than war, bad as war is. More progress
has been made toward world peace in
| the fourteen years which have elapsed
since the first Hague conference than
was known in all the years which pre-
ccded it.
! Why?
Because the movement has been one
not primarily for international peace
but primarily for international justice.
The blow Of the fist the CLEAN of the
sword and the bark of the cannon will
continue until some power other than
!. that OF the armed man is found to pro-
tect innocence from injustice This plan
for Supreme Court of the nations
was not novel, but with the proposals
of the American delegate to the Hague
the dream of the prophet and became
purpose of statesmen. AS long as
mankind thought that there was no
other method of securing justice be-
tween nations than armed conflict SO
long the plaintive cry Of peace fell on
unlistening ears. When Il plan for Sc
curing justice was proposed that prom
ised to avoid the tragedy of war man
kind began to listen. The proposal Is
nothing less than a substitution Of an
appeal to reason for the appeal to
force. Before this substitute can be
successfully adopted three conditions
are necessary.
There must be developed in the civ
ilized nations sense of justice strong
enough to overcome race. religious and
national prejudices.
This International conscience must
create some permanent tribunal which
can give it official and authoritative
expression.
And there must be developed in ev-
cry nation such sense OF honor that
having once submitted q question to
j, this tribunal, it's decision will be ac-
cepted, not perhaps without criticism
but without resistance or serious com :
plaint.
The public agitation of the last four
teen years and the increasing inter-
mingling of different civilized nations
due to facility of travel and increase of
much to fulfill the first condition-to
develop an international conscience
which demands international justice
The statesmen who have proposed the
creation of an international tribunal
whose authority and action they will
: recognize have not yet overcome the
| o1,e ,r,b;o hn
t of such a tribunal. But they have pre-
7 pared the way for its creation by prom
r ises of International arbitration fire.
8 quently repeated, and are now prepar-
ing to fulfil the second condition.
{ In America we have yet to create a
Z. public opinion which will insist that
] our Government shall carry out in good
J. faith every treaty of international ar.
bitration which it makes. Until this
. the third condition, is fulfilled, the dan.
] gers of war will not be averted. The
( necessity of home education in this re.
= spect is illustrated by the recent in
r cidents in our history.
we Hdd treaty WITH nuSsla. we
= believed that she violated that treaty
n in refusing to recognize our passport:
when issued to American citizens O.
: the Jewish faith. We should hav,
i proposed to Russia to submit the in
q. depreciation Of that treaty to the Hagu'
tribunal. Instead of SO doing. we wit