The sun., 1916-12-17

to this war.
"These underlying causes have been
fundamental mistakes, l think, In n
! general powers Of government. / BE-
lieve that after this war the masses OF
the world will insist upon q pro.
gramme which will give them greater
influence in those decisions which maj
plunge nations into war: h 10 to
say, a programme under which the
powers Of autocracy and absolute
secret diplomacy cannot overnight,
before the citizenship OF a nation has
had a chance to express itself, rush
that nation into armed conflict with
it's neighbors.
To-day that could not happen IN
the United States or France; It could
not happen and did not happen In
Great Britain, who a no choice ex-
cent to go to war. But there were and
are nations where it could and did
happen. l believe there will be mono
in the near future.
II am not deluded witt: the idea that
the international problem can be
solved entirely by the establishment OF
an international, court along tradi-
tional lines. presided over by lawyers =
to pass judgment upon violations or
established international law. Modern
wars have been caused less by viola.
tons of established law than by the
development Of new problems and new
needs not yet covered by law.
$50 any effective programme must
include a system OF stated interna-
tlonal conferences in which the rep
resentatives Of such democratic inter-
ests as labor and business can present
ava liyc,,s. apd .rnYntnraH rho threat
that seems likely to lead on to war.
That. I believe. will be the pro-
gramme which labor will adopt for the
} future. and / believe that at least
American labor understands that a pro-
gramme 80 vast cannot be established
J and maintained by one class alone.
Urban labor, agriculture, business
| men OF every rank and type must
work side by side in sincere cOopera-
} ton to secure the worldwide adoption
8 Of those principles which will guaran-
= tee the triumph OF justice and OPP
=. portunity for all classes. everywhere.
I Hating war as l do. IL l could stop
the present conflict by the raising Of
n finger 1 would not raise the finger.
3 because I feel that something must
he determined by this war; that IN
whether the rule OF the future II to
, lie OF autocracy and militarism or OF
. democracy. liberty and humanity.
r THE movement Of the League 70
q Enforce Peace, which unQuestionably
4 has made a great impression in Amer
|, lea. and which has as one of its pro-
: moters Mr.. Taft, an ex.President Of
the United States. and which recently
v has been shown to have impressed
England, has had at no time the
o thought OF endeavoring TO stop this
war.
The labor movement Il a militant
movement. Its participants realize
the need for power. as, I hope. they
know the proper uses to which power
may he put.
1T never has advocated the abolition
OF agencies for the enforcement Of
e right and Justice, which should in
u clude che military arm Of government.
n 1t merely has demanded that military
forces shall not I've misused as an In
strument Of tyranny against workers
or any one.
u Labor. OF course. also has objected
to the creation Of a separate military
a. caste. as occurred in Germany and
: Austria, and NEAR there and always
: would mean. there or elsewhere. the
subversion OF civil life to military gov
eminent and military standards.
But IL our nations or n nations
military and naval forces could IN,
made not only al arm of national de-
'e fence against aggression, but at the
,r same time a nations contribution
toward the maintenance OF more per-
Sc mancnt peace throughout the world
I'd labor. | think. would welcome the
NJ maintenance OF armies and cheerfully
lie pay its portion OF taxation for their
support.
n III these were their sole objects the
necessity for their existence woulo
~ grow less with coming years So there
he again, | think is n point OF contacl
between the labor OF the world anc
or the American plan OF a league to en-.
re force peace.
&c Another. l believe. lies In the facI
that the suggested programme OF thu
es league does not plan to enforce thu
decisions OF an International court
y, but only to enforce the submission Il
an international court before war i
h. resortcd 10 OF questions which threaten
no TO cause war. This would prevent th'
"a court from becoming the tool OF IN
~reactionary and the privileged.
-, The leagues suggestion OF an in
:. tcrnational boycott as q means o
bringing an unjustly warlike nation I,
terms Ia a tribute to the invention o
labor, but no boycott should or coult
be enforced ave through the volun
tary action of the people of the boy
" cotting nations. The internationa
court. or league, could only, and proba
bly, should only. invite the representa-
' tives of involved nations to a hearing
~ and afterward declare its findings, de
w. claring the guilt OF the nation at fault
W In case n nation should refuse to b
Us present. then the case might so by de
fault. An official or compulsory boy
e. colt would. ] thinS be fatally mis-
!" taken,
NJ "Of course. I do not set tn mysel
~ "a an international authority. Amer
I'VE can labor has thought much on inter
e. national affairs. however, and / believ
g" that after this war labor Throughout
ne The world will insist that it must in
'S sure against the possibility OF bein
Is forced into unjustihed conflicts. an
that it will deman: insurance agains
no being forced to bear more than II
rightful share OF such conflicts as d
TO- come.
OF But whether or not any programm
as yet has been devised which will met
40.