The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-03
rHE PEACE no COME.

not De nC4Q LOT the return o. pc0SC ~
Eurooe for a cessation of the terrible
strife that seems to be shaking the
very foundations of the old worlds
civilization. Nor are prayers Of this
sort confined to the people of this
country. Millions of them have been
uttered in Europe, without a doubt.
The thoughts Of the peace that Is to
come are probably even more numcr-
Gus .hc world over than are those that
are given to the war. Even the pow
ers hat are engaged in the horrible
conflict must, in the very nature or
things, be contemplating the peace OF
tomorrow. And while the thoughts OF
peaco are paramount, there can aiso
be little doubt that there is strong
undercurrent Of feeling among most
thinking folk that the war in progress
must re fought to some sort OF q
decisive end. IL the peace that Is to
follow is to be worth while. An end
ing If hostilities without such defi-
mite decision would mean nothing
more than an armed truce between the
nations involved. one that might pre-
vail for enc year or ten. or perhaps a
quarter of a century. But such a
peace IS rot what the world wants or
needs. There is a ground swell OF
sentiment that is gaining tremendous
force among all civilized people as 1t
rolls along that there must be a per-
manent peace throughout the world.
And the great question IS. How is
such a peace to be brought about?
There are some who think that 1t
will come as far as Europe is con-
cerned because Of the magnitude Of
the present war. of the utter devasta-
ton that 1t will wreak: that the bur-
dens it will impose upon the peoples
affected directly by it will De Of such
enormous proportions that n,ilitarism,
the breeder Of wars and the basic cause
of the present one, will be throttled;
that there will be neither means nor
incli1ations to restore the nilitarism
that may be destroyed.
But the history Of Europe does not
so teach. European nations, and some
Of those involved in the present war,
have been torn asunder and despoiled
of men and property not once but sew
eral times during the courses of their
existence. Except for the past thirty
or forty years, and until the recent war
in the Balkans. the history of almost
IAAO "AOiC VI 4HdAOPC 10 OAC VI CoAtAhuS0
warfare. Nation after nation has been
all but annihilated. and within a COM
paratively short space of time has
arisen from its ashes stronger and
mightier from a military standpoint
| than 1t ever was before. The European
wars Of the past, destructive as many
| Of them have been. seem to have
spurred their victims on with almost
superhuman energy to prepare for
greater wars in the future. And this is
the variety Of history that would be
likely to repeat itself In Europe, no
matter what the havoc that the pres
ent war might play with the countries
engaged in it. II each is left to it's own
devices after the war is over. So there
must be a movement of some kind
worked out among them and with the
other nations Of the world participant
ing if a permanent peace in Europe and
the world is to follow this war. And the
definite suggestions to this end have
been and are exceedingly few.
! Hamilton Holt, editor of The Inde-
pendent. and distinguished in the coun-
ellis Of those who have been behind the
universal peace movement that has at
tracted SO much attention during the
past decade. has thought out one. He
presents it in the issue Of The indie
pendent for September 20. 1t revolves
! around the League of Peace idea that
has been projected and discussed by
others. including Colonel Roosevelt,
during the past few years. a league Of
nations that will maintain a sufficient
| tn
that of any other single national force,
or alliance of nations that are not par
ties to the league. This league of peace
proposal has heretofore been suggested
only in most general terms. But Mr..
Holt has definite ideas in the premises,
and proposes a constitution for such a
league, as follows:
First The nations OF the league
shall mutually agree to respect the
territory and sovereignty of eacn
other.
Second. I'll questions that cannot
be settled by diplomacy shall be arbi-
trated.
Third. The nations of the league
shall provide a periodical assembly to
make all rules to become law unless
vetoed by nation within a stated Pc
riod.
Fourth. The nations shall disarm
to the Joint where the combined
forces of the league shall be a certain
per cent higher than those of the
most heavily armed nation or alliance
outside the league. Detailed rules fol
, this pro rata disarmament shall b.
formulated by the assembly.
Fifth. Any member of the league
shall have the right to withdraw OF
due notice, or may be expelled by the
l unanimous vote Of the others.
The advantages that a nation
) would gain in becoming a member o
such a league are manifest" argues
Mr.. Holt, and he continues:
THE risk of war would be elimi