The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-15
ny MANINILIAN HARDEN.

rate peace?
This question, involving the fears
and hopes, respectively. a. to the dura-
ton of the European war. has in the
last week of June occupied the nations
OF the world. belligerent and neutral,
more seriously than any other.
The first answer no"
To obtain n positive negatlon We
need not bother to inquire first into
the desires Of the Russian heart. They
cannot. They are bound by their word.
On that September day that opened for
them the gates Of the Crownland's cap
ital. Lemberg, their Cars Ambassa-
dor, Count Benckendorr. put his name
alongside those Of Messrs. Grey, Jules
Cambon. Boschkowitsch and Count
Lalaing. signing the treaty binding
Russia, Great Britain. France. Serbia
and Belgium to conclude peace with
the empires of central Europe only in
common.
Only for the price of her reputation
as a dependable nation. and therefore
as a Power trustworthy as a ~signatory
TO n treaty, could Russia rid herself
Of that obligation.
How "A treaty violation affects the
conscience of humanity, even In our
days OF a~sphyxiatlng gas n the de-
struction OF defenceless. unwarned
ships. we have seen in the cases OF
Belgium and Italy.
Have We seen it? Germany and her
allies insist that Belgium herself.
through all kinds of intrigues and UNI
foreground work, forfeited her neutral
rights. The Quadruple Entente. its
proteges and most of the neutrals con-
tend that not Italy but Austria vlo-
lated the Triple Alliance treaty be-
cause she deviated from the seventh
article.
Louder than the voice OF conscience
sounds the voice OF quest after pront.
And the castle of political morality
Is by 10 means as strongly fortified a.
pious ignorance imagines. This truth
was early realized by those who act
and those who look on; by statesmen
Inc philosophers, Western peoples
and Orientals, Germans and English
men.
To save the tree Of his tribe from
crumblirg to pieces under the boring
worm of foreign yoke Hermann-Ar-
minus. chief Of the Cheruski. broke
the pledge that had been taken from
him as from "A citizen and knight Of
Rome. and stalking his word that
feigned sincere warning. he deceived
the General, Qulntilius Varus. into dis
aster and ruin.
Francis J., unwilling to expose
France TO foreign reign, by giving vi,
Burgundy cast aside his obligation I'M
der the treaty OF Madrid.
In order TO prevent France from
rowin too powerful the third 49, ton
King, William. In 1859 in Vienna went
over from France, to which he was
allied by the treaty of Dover, To
Frances enemy.
To secure PrusSia's future as tha,
OF the moulder Of the German fate
Bismarck tore asunder the German
confederation.
Kant, he of the pure soul, once said:
A yet no philosopher has been able
10 conciliate the principles of the state
win ire principles of morality nor to
proPose any better ones that could
oe '""oiilat'd with human nature
n did not Macaulay speak of the
principles or p'Iit!cs as being Of a
character that the lowest bandit wodld
hesitate from even as much as limiting
ABOUT thtth 10 MS worst ~honchman?
iefe Is N!etzSche'S sFrll verdict:
Inc state Is ami immoraliiy.
BUT biciharck, too, whom the lyriC!st
OF power n VIII never did see suft-
cieh'I! cI1se' recognized even IN the
theory or national thought that ".r-
lepresSlple interests Ipu1d compel m
uupi'ape 'lolatioh Oh the gwen word;
that n treaty etwec two Powers was
tehaoIe onIS so lchE as the c!rcum-
stahces lasted under IN" pressure of
"nIch II had p'cn concluded
ohc w" came from an entirely dr.
fereht climate ana experience, Srin"za
rived al Inc same CONCLUSION. lie
contends mat an alliancc lasts 50 long
as does the foundation upon which it
rests nancy rear or damage or hone
or proft. II" deems 1t tn" light ~
every stare 10 ABANDON Il treaty a. ms
VIII, and to his MIND one must not ac-
cuse that state when 1t does so Of in
ndeilty or treason. Ana whcn n
state laments that It has been cheated