The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-12-05

demands on Belgium :: and finally a proposal
from her TO Great Britain. which the Prime
Minister Of that Government styled as -infa-
mous." on tho noor OF the House of Commons.
on August G. On August Z the Emperor OF
Germany. In addressing the Reichstag. spoke
OF Russia as having given way ito an Unsuitable
aationalism" by siding with Servia, "a stats
which. through q criminal act. had brought
about the calamity OF this war" He also
alluded to the course Of France as dictated By
malice"
When the men In power IN the great nations
which are now at war. after resort to all the
methods OF diplomacy. use such language In
reference to sister States. It seems plain enough
that the world has thus far provided no efficient
way OF avoiding offensive war. and so OF avoid
Ing defensive war.
is also to be feared that the orer Of rood
OFFICES made by the United States on August
3. 1914. came too late TO DO OF any avail ut the
present ~juncture.
Here. then. is a war very likely TO cost the
world ten thousand lives and ten million dollar.
for every day Of fits continuance. Ofpiomaev
mas done Its best to circumscribe n or To stop
H. IL could not be circumscrfbed, Il could NOT
De stopped unless by the friendly and arm In
terposition OF some high authority which the
with respect.
Arbitrstors could hardly now be selected from
4uACr luO6E r|IIcInE than
looked FIRST to their probable attitude toward
the contending countries and the questlons 10
De decided. Only a judicial court the members
OF which had. before the war broke out heen
chosen from those whose Character ana train.
ing gave assurance Of intelligence and i'm
partiality, could be confidently relied on an a
nnal judge.
There are few controversies between p.,,o,.
which DO not involve the determination Of
points OF law. No tribunal for settling such
controversies can be as effective as one whose
members ara familiar NTH ~
OF such points.
The Justification for a great war NAV turn NJ,
= pure question OF law. which can only be
framed by experts In judicial work.
Germany put forward the claim, as present.
ing a easus oelli. that on August 3. 1914, France
nao violated the nutrality OF Belgium by send
Ing military airships to cruise over its teyrtso-x
The soundness OF this position (assumine ~.
,act 70 be as thus claimed) must rest on the
sovsrs !" lne question:; hrst. whether a
possessions and second. whether. however this
may be. he is responsible for is police Il. ,hs
Tn "a otner words. to be regarded as free. Ike
A court OF Justice could decide these mint.
tne subtraction OF the world. No Other
such a court for nations as THIS .oc,a,v
proposes had existed In July 1914 4, Se
utterly impossible that Belgium might hav. IN
sututeo an action before It for an Injunction
air Graf, nn n,snt over ner territory OF military
Ained an early decision in her favor.
But one thing would have been necas.a-
success OF such a reference OF such a noint
ana that Is the support OF the public opinion =;
IN war and In peace, in all pubI,c co,..--
P ~ opinion. be II right or wrong, Is kinr
wreck and disorder now facing Enron.
~ ussolatlng every sea. when they have done
me,a IeAuiy Work. viii leave behind them new
material Tor Strengthening public on,nsor
,oousnout the world in favor OF the movemen,
cons orsanized peace-organized thron1b
0pen 70 all and respected by all.