New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-03
UNIVERSAL PEACE
The Logical Conclusion" of the
Great Struggle Now in Progress.


To the Editor Of The Tribune
SIR What will be the result of this awful
war? Should the Allies win, what will hap
pen7 The answer to these momentous ques-
tons will be written into history mainly by
the action of the following principals: The
Car of Russia, the Premier Of the British
Empire, II. II. Asquith; her Foreign Minister,
Sir Edward Grey; the Kaiser Of Germany and
the representatives of other victorious as well
as vanqushed powers. Hence the convictions
Of the above named gentlemen will largely af-
feet the results Of the present war.
Car Nicholas II has repeatedly put him
self on record in favor of limitation of arma-
ments and other burdens Of militarism. It
was upon his special invitation that the first
international peace conference of the princi
pal states Of the world was assembled at The
Hague, and held its initial session, from May
IS till July 29, 1899. Thus, it is due to him
that the dawn of the twentieth century saw
the first step made toward establishment of
q worldwide understanding in regard to the
Limitation Of ornaments, the permanent
peace and the union Of the worlds nations.
Premier Asquith said in his Guildhall
speech: eve shall never sheathe the sword
until Belgium RECEIVERS in full measure all she
has sacrificed; until France is adequately Sc
cured from the menace of aggression; until
the rights of the smaller nationalities of Eu-
rope are placed upon an unassailable founda-
ton; until the military domination of Prus-
sian supremacy is wholly and finally de-
stroyed"
Sir Edward Grey said In a recent speech:
an due time terms Of peace will be put for
ward by the Allies. We wish the ma
tons of Europe to be free to live their indie
pendent lives, working out their own form of
government and their own form of national
development in full liberty, whether they be
great states or small states. That is our
ideal. After this war the nations Of
Europe must be free to live without inter
ference Of the superior war lord without the
clangor Of armor and the sword continually
ratified in the scabbard. We claim,
and will secure, the right TO live, and pursue
our national existence, not in the shadow Of
Prussian supremacy, but in the light Of equal
liberty"
If such an Tdeal" is to be realized-not
only for the Allies, but for ALT can be
achieved only by international union and
limitation of national ornaments.
AS regards Kaiser Wilhelm, his stti-
tude, assumed on various occasions as the
ardent champion Of peace, makes it reason
able to expect that he also will become will
ing party TO the establishment Of universal
peace
Is this an utopian dreaml Not necessarily.
Has not the interstate union Of our own
forty-eight independent and sovereign states
proved TO be a complete success! There is
not apparent any reason why the similar in
ternational union Of independent and SOW
ereign nations Of the world should prove
failure. On the contrary, there is every rea-
son to believe that permanent peace will
never be realized until such union is estab-
lished.
If the Car, the Kaiser and Messrs. As
quith and Grey are logical and consistent,
they must recognize that their ideal" can
not be reached as long as Russia or Germany
two great land powers-may remain armed
to the teeth, "rattling their swords in the
scabbards," building numberless monster
guns, armored trains, aeroplanes and I'M
speakable Zeppelins, and as long IS Great
Britain (the great naval power), Japan, Ger
many and other nations are permitted to
build an unlimited number of super-dread-
noughts, commerce-destroying cruisers, sub
marines and other monsters of the deep, de-
signed exclusively for the destruction of the
lives and property Of the enemy" with the
view of ntimdating or even subjugating him.
Thus, the union of nations of the world is |
the logical conclusion of this war. Mankind
has learned a fearful lesson, is lonCing for
a lasting peace, and will not be satisfied with |
a makeshift peace, which would be merely an
armed truce, certain TO DO broken as soon as