New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-26

Granted the sytem, war IS It's lnevita-
hle sequence. The system, Of course,
assumes that international disputes
must be settled by force OF arms. This
assumption, though occasionally modi-
fed ny accidents like the peaceful de-
termination of the Dogger banks and
the Alaskan boundaries dispute, is the
only one that is seriously considered
by the "government-mindej"-as proof
of which take the fact that IL is the
only method prepared for by all ma
tons.
Alternatives, like the peace tribu-
nails, arbitration arrangements, or ad-
Indication of any sort other than war,
gre mostly a matter Of individual en-
.erprise, and as such have no prestige
cf the sort that only natural and Off
cal Endorsement is able to give. with
out such Endorsement these enterprises
appear to the people at large, who are
not accustomed to do their public think
ing for themselves, as amiable, freakish
and without sanction Of precedent,
practicability or good sense. Arbltra-
ment by force Of arms. on the other
hand, with the glorifcation and bene-
diction accorded it in history, tradition,
art, poetry and public manners. appears
natural, inevitable and even desirable.
To switch the train Of popular
thought from these established channels
is the task titanic for him who would
combat the fury and stupidity of war.
Education, private and public chat is,
Ct the sort derived from the estab-
lishment Of public institutions like an
international parliament), is the only
way to accomplish such a task. But
war has already prepared the soil for
the reception OF new seed; people are
asking Why? To what end this waste
ard bloodiness? People who never be-
fore asked. Resentment that is as yet
inarticulate is to be found in the breasts
of all Your government-lsunch pro-
gramme of peace and mediation without
armistice will evoke a response meal
culable; will give hope TO the peoples
on earth who are now struggling blind
~ through a desert of hate, despair,
ewilderment and agony; 10 peoples
who as vet do not know they are in
need Of hope. Perhaps the most that
they ask for is to be let alone, to do
the business Of life in peace-to live,
TO love, to die. Faith and vision and
will are needed-and remembrances of
past triumphs OF human institutions
over habits that are british. What we
will we shall have. There is no power
combat the force of our aggregate will.
Italy Swept Into the Current.
But things being as they are, Italy,
like the other nations, was swept into
the current of hate, of violence and
greed. For war admits all the hideous
qualities and actions that in civilized
life we repudiate. Only, unlike the
other nations who have put forward one
high-sounding excuse after another,
Italy frankly admits that she is in the
business Of war for what she can get
out Of il. Speaking from the current
national and patriotic viewpoint, Italy
had more fright" 10 war-if an inter ,
ested party 70 a dispute may be consid
cred as judge of the right or wrong of
the dispute than any other nation, ex-
cept, perhaps, Germany. Italy had GER
tain national prestige to maintain; that
prestige was a thing determined not by
internal development; but by capacity
for external aggressive action accord
ing to present international standards.
Without capacity for such aggressive
action for the sake of holding her
own" a nation believes that her deyel /
opment, internal and external, is
checked. Perhaps she is right, but other
ways of holding ones own" have been
devised and accepted. Howbeit, ma
tional vanity is played upon and the be-
lief in ones "country's honor" comes TO
be sacred and second only TO a belief in
God.
This is one Of the causes of war
Italy, do not doubt, believed that her
integrity as a nation was threatened
unless she swung into line. To begin
with, she spoke, with excellent sense |
thought, of neutrality. And | remem-
bered how, in America at that time, we
looked to her with eyes of admiration.
Italy had a great role TO play here in
the heart Of Europa role that we
might play in the United States if we
keep our heads and tempers. But Italy
was not yet ready to play that role. SO
Italy went to war. Nominally because
she had been fouted by Austria, actu-
ally because, having broken with Ger
many and Austria, she had nothing to
hope for from France and Russia and
England unless she allied herself with
them. And size saw herself in the
future, a nation discounted among the
powers.
In Beyond Her Depth.
In such position she had no hope
when the time came for dividing up
booty of obtaining her share, and she
particularly insists upon a share in
Asia Minor. She had nothing to ex-
pect from Germany. And England
guaranteed nothing not even Trentino
and Trieste unless she Joined the al
lance SO Italy joined. !
The terms Of the alliance are, Of
course, unknown, but it is understood 4
that Italy is pledged to stay in till the .
end of the war, TO make no separate 4
peace and 10 send troops 70 the Darda-
nelles. Such terms sound probable, and '
God help Italy. believe she has /
much more than she can /
manage. Her resources will rot per
init Of it. She is still feeling the eff /
fects of her war in Tripoli, for one 4
thing; the crops are not what was eX-
pected, for another; the general power /
~ is appalling. But more important,
! believe, than all else is this fact .
Granted that Italy swung into war
with enthusiasm Though TO my mind .
the demonstration that passed for en-
thusiastie had more Of hysteria than
spontsneity about them, will such en-
thusiasm last when the people who re
spond now to the war cry Trieste and
Trentino!" realize that Trieste and
Trentino is but the beginning Of Ital- .
ian operations and not the end? Those +
whom this business Of war - able TO .
throw into q state Of eestatic fervor .
are stimulated thereto by the cry of .
4. t....u