The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-10-05

captured fifteen miles of trenches.
controls the world. There is a worl
which the neutral nations can do
they can offer mediation, Jointly OF
severally. 1t is not an act of hostil
ity, but an act of friendship. The
Hague convention, to which all the
governments are parties, expressly de
clares that the offer of mediation may
seem to rest primarily upon the Unit.
ed States, the largest of the neutral
nations and the most intimately
bound by ties of blood to all the bel
hgerents. The United States did
make an offer Immediately after the
war began, but why not again and
again and again, until our offer or
some other offer is accepted? Why
not stand at the door and knock, as
we would at the door of friend IL
we felt that the friend was in need,
and that we could render a service?
"But our action or failure to act
need not deter any other neutral coun-
try from acting. This is not the time
to stand on ceremony; if any other
country, for any reason, no matter
what that reason may be, is in bet
ter position than we to tender its good
offices, 1t should not delay for a mo-
ment. It is for the belligerents to de-
eide which offer, if any, they will &C.
cept I am sure they will not COM
plain IL, following the promptings
Of our hearts, we beseech them to let
us help them back to the paths Of
peace.
"Will they object on the ground that
they will not consent to any peace
until they have assurances that it will
be permanent peace? That sugges-
ton has been made-I think both sides
have expressed a desire that the
peace, when secured, shall be perma-
nent-but who can give a pladge as to
the future? If fear that the peace NAV
not be permanent is given as the rea-
son for refusal, 1t is not a sufficient
reason. While no one can stand sure.
ty for what may come, it is not diff
ficult to adopt measures which will
give far greater assurance of perma-
nent peace than the world has ever
known before.
Arbitration Treaties.
"Second-The treaty in which they
Join should provide for investigation
by a permanent international commits
sion of every dispute that may arise,
no matter, what it's character or ma
ture. The United States has already
made thirty treaties embodying the
principles, and these thirty treaties
link our country to nearly three-quar-
ters of all the Inhabitants of the world.
We have such a treaty in force be-
tween the United States and four Of
vi thAO tOthitACo INV ~ VI Soe
Britain, France. Russia and Italy. The
principle of this treaty has been ac-
cepted by three other belligerents-
Germany, Austria and Belgium-al-
though treaties with these nations
have not been negotiated. These sew,
en- warning nations have endorsed the
principle embodied in these treaties
namely, that there shall be no declara-
ton of war or commencement of hos
tilities until the subject in dispute has
been investigated by an international
commission. Why. can they not apply
the principle as between themselves?
What cause of war is of such magni-
tude that nations can afford to COM
mence shooting at each other before
the cause is investigated? A treaty
such as those which now protect the
peace of the United States would give
a years time for investigation and re-
port, and who doubts that a years