Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-11-29

NOtnlnY 1S more astounding, anu "'@o Nv
a sense more pathetic, than the way IN
which the world forgets it's past and an
the lessons of history when its emotiohs
are moved, and when there Is somethlHs
which it longs for greatly. Take the case
of peace and the attempts to devise some
scheme for abolishing war. Men see the
horror and the wickedness of war, ana
recognize also it's folly and futility. Al
once they set to work devising schemes
for making. as they say, fresh wars mn
possible. Blu they forget that during al
most every great war of which We nave Il
record similar schemes We're drawn up TO
lay the foundations of a lasting concord
and TO prevent future appeals to arms; In
fact, to enforce peace. Yet these pfevl-
Gus efforts. though they We're quite as
carefully thought out and quite as sincere
1y entertained as are the new efforts,
failed entirely.
A league to enforce peace was estab-
lshed in America some 10 months ago.
Its aims ana efforts We're described by Mir.
Taft in the american number of the
Manchester Guardian. noticed by us last
week. Mr.. Taft sets forth the four objects
of the League to Enforce Peace. and the
methods by which the league seeks to at
tain them. The objects themselves are
excellent, but the methods for attaining
them are, We venture to say, either quite
iN.iiS vi Clsc lOSlllNely AdIiSclOuS. IioN
ever, We are not going to argue that point
with Mr.. Taft on general grounds, for we
should not convince him or his friends,
and we might very likely give an inn
preston. which is the last we desire to
give, that we are careless of the interests
or peace, or do not realize the vast evils
OF war. What We desire to point out is
that the proposals OF the League to En-
force Peace We're tried 100 years ago with
the most unsatisfactory results. No doubt
we shall be told-Even if this be SO. why
not try again? cit is worth While to
break a thousand lances in an effort to
free the world from the demon of war"
We agree, and however hopeless we
thought the task of enforcing peace, we
should say to the league: do your best
with Gods blessing If we were not
firmly convinced that not merely must the
efforts of the leaguers fail, but that their
attempts to attain the impossible will do
positive harm to the cause of peace. If
only the Lacquer can he persuaded to try
for much less than their present program,
and to try for it in a different way. they
may attain a much greater practical sue
cess.
h grounds on which we rest our con-
tention that there is nothing to be got out
of the League to Enforce Peace are set
forth In a book of true historical learning
and insight by MIR. Alison Phillips. 1.-The
Confederation of Europe" published by
Messrs. Longmans in 1914. The subtitle of
the volume. "A Study of the European AL
lance. 1S13-1823, as an Experiment in the
International Organization of Peace"
shows the nature of the work-a work
which, we may add, was bundled on lee
lures delivered in Oxford in 1913. and
therefore before the war. For present
purpose one of the most important things
that Mr.. Alison Phillips shows us is that
pe1ore the great French war was half
way through Statesmen here and else
where had. as now. begun to consider, not
merely how to bring the war to a sue
cessIul issue. but how to insure peace for
the future. They saw, as now, that they
Were really fighting to secure peace. But
what was the use of securing peace unless
mat peace could be made permanent?
therefore we find not only men of a vi
slonafy character like Alexander of Rus
sia, but practical statesmen of modera-
ton and sound common sense like William
fltt. throwing themselves enthusiastically
INTO the plan of a League to- Enforce
peace. In answer to the very striking, if
somewhat vague. Instructions given by
alexander in 1904, which were laid before
fltt. the great English statesman de-
cared that the concert or third coalition
for carrying on the war against France
which Pitt was then constructing should
nave as one Of it's three essential objects
the establishment of "a convention and
guarantee for the mutual protection and
security of the different powers, and the
establishments In Europe of a general sys-
.ein OIL pubic law. Pitts remarks on the
third proposal We're as follows:
"Much." he says. will have been
done for the repose of Europe bv
the carrying out of the proposedd
ordar ia m. rxe,arrangements: but in
feet as possible. 1t seems necessary that
at the time of the general pacification q
treaty should be concluded. in which ali
part "a tpf hw 9 pphic hu rope, powers should take
respective rights, as then estabiished
s ,,a.n De nxed and recognized; and these
powers should all engage reciprocaliy to
would give to Europe a general ia syst .laae of
p pao fsr Jaw as and would aim at REFRESHING.
trouble the general tranquility, and above
an 70 defeat every project Of aggrandize-
men mene and ambition. such as those which
Europe has been afflicted since the nm
happy era of the French revolution Tha
trea separate and secret article Of the
and Great Britain embodied these vieu,s "a
p FORMAL engagement. Their ma iastiesn
J.; IL ran ar who take the most lively Interest
the 'n 1a ~ 1. 10 nat.o and precise definition Of
TIE law OF natlons and in the guarantees ~
~ observance by general consent. and Nv
Inc establishment In Europe Of a federa,
I'VE system. to, insure the independents a.
Inc hagr weaker ! states by erecting a Formidable
harrier against the ambition Of the mnre
powerful. will come to an amicable nn nore
standing among themselves as to whe+-
FORM form m am in fGneesn un these 90 objects. and vii!
reanzine their happy effects OF
Inoueh Pitt did not live to see tho a.
tennnt to carry out the third clause of tha
coalition. Its spirit was kept alive ~,
A~,exander. we find that the preamble
OF the treaty Of Kalisch made between