The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-31

ternati0nal affairs, are often oonfuDod
by men whose business 1t u to know
better. For example, . few weeks
ago these good people were stirred to
a moments belief that something had
been accomplished by tho enactment
at Washington OF . score or two OF
all-inclusive arbitration treaties: be-
ing not unnaturally misled by the fact
that those responsible for tho passage
Of the treaties INDUCED in some not
wholly harmless bleattng - to the
good effects they would produce. As
q matter OF fact, they probably will
not produce the smallest effect Of any
kind or sort. Yet it II possible they
may have a mischfevous effect. mas
much under certain circumstances to
fulfill them would cause frightful dis
aster to the United States, while to
break them, even although under
compulsion and because 1t was absO-
lutely necessary. would be fruitful OF
keen humiliation to every right-think-
ing man who was jealous of our inter-
national good name.
If, for example, whatever the out
come of the present war, a great tri-
umphant military despotism declared
roe Doctrine or seized Magdalena Bay,
or one of the Dutch West Indies. or
the Island of st. Thomas. and fortified
it; or if-as would be quite possible
it announced that we had no right to
fOrtify the Isthmus of Panama, and it
self landed on adjacent territory to
erect similar Notifications: then. under
these absurd treaties, we would be
obliged, If we happened to have made
one Of them with one Of the countries
involved. to go into an interminable
discussion Of the subject before q joint
commission, while the hostile nation
proceeded to make its position impreg-
nable. 1t seems Incredible that the
United States government could have
made such treaties; but 1t has Just done
so. with the warm approval Of the pro-
fessional pacificists.
These treaties were entered into when
the Administration had before its eyes
at that very moment the examples
of Belgium and Luxembourg, which
showed beyond possibility Of doubt, es-
other similar incidents that have &C.
CURED during the last couple Of de-
cades, that there are various great
military empires In the Old World who
will not pay one moments heed to the
most solemn and binding treaty, II 1t
is to their interest to break it. If any
one of these empires, as the result OF
the present contest. obtains something
approaching to a position Of complete
predominance in the Old World. 1t is
absolutely certain that 1t would pay
no heed whatever to these treaties. II
New World by taking possession Of the
Dutch or Danish West Indies or OF the
territory Of some weak American state
on the mainland of the continent. In
such event we would be obliged either
instantly ourselves to repudiate the
eminent at Washington has just sought
to tie our hands-and thereby expose
ourselves in our turn to the charge Of
bad faith-Or else we should have to
abdicate our position a. a great power
and submit to abject humiliation.
Since these articles Of mine were
written and published. am glad to see
that James Bryce, q lifelong advocate
Of peace and the staunchest possible
friend of the United States. has taken
precisely the position have taken.
Bryce dwells, as have dwelt. upon the
that behave themselves from absorp-
ton in great military empires. He in
sists, as have insisted, upon the need
of the reduction of ornaments. the
quenching Of the baleful spirit Of mill
tarism. ana the admission Of the peo-
the control OF foreign policy-an to be
accomplished by some kind Of Inter
national League of Peace. He adds.
however. as the eliminating and most
important portion of his article:
But no scheme for preventing future
unless it rests upon the assurance that
the states which enter 1t will loyalty
and steadfa silly abide by 1t and that
each and all Of them will Join In coer-
cling by their overwhelming united
strength any state which may disregard
the obligations it has undertaken"
Must Strive for Peace.
This is almost exactly what I have
said. Indeed, it is almost word for
have id-an agreement
which is all the more striking because
when he wrote 1t Lord Bryce could
not have known what 1 had written.
We must insist on righteousness first
and foremost. We must strive for
peace always; but we must never hest
tate to put righteousness above peace.
In order to do this, we must put force
back Of righteousness. for. as the
world now is. national Righteousness
without force back Of 1t speedily be-
comes a matter Of derision. To the
doctrine that might makes right, it
is utterly useless to oppose the doc
trine of right unbacked by might.
1t is not even true that what the
pacificists desire is right. The leaders
Of the pacificists of this country who
for three months now have been cry
ing Peace, Peace have been too
timid even to say that they want the
Peace to be a righteous one. We need
beSSly d1gn11y 8uch Outcr1eS Wnen we
speak of them as wel1-meanfng. The
weaklings who raise their shrill pip
ing for a peace that shall consecrate
successful wrong occupy a position
quite as immoral as and infinitely
more contemplate than the position Of
the wrongdoers themselves. The ruth
less strength of the great absolutist
leaders-Elizabeth Of England, Cath
arine Of Russia, Peter the Great, Fred
erick the Great, Napoleon. Bismarck
is certainly Infinitely better for their
own nations and is probably better for
mankind at large than the 1oquacious
impotence, ultimately trouble-breed-
ing. which has recently marked out
own international nO1icv Strength at