Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-31


peace has crowded the parrot and the
ostrich out OF the comic papers as the
worlds funniest bird. The popular
picture of peace advocate shows a
squirrel in mad pursuit And yet -
One of the most thoughtful and dig
nffed movements which the world has
ever known has begun to work for the
adjustment Of war. 1t expects its
campaign to succeed when the present
war is over. 1t is backed by some of
the worlds most eminent men, a
splendid array Of its greatest thinkers.
The movement is led by Americans.
The American Peace society which
embodies within itself the official
peace movement In this country, has
not gone into eclipse through the ap
parent failure Of all peace plans of
the past to prevent the worlds most
terrible disaster. On the contrary, it
has been stimulated as never before.
While pessimists are talking about
scraps Of paper and are viewing
tional law, some of the greatest inter
national statesmen, who were never
before persuaded of the feasibility of
world arbitration, are now adding their
strength to the movement for this
very end.
| These men, and the international
peace societies, are relying for success
( upon the frame of mind in which the
warning powers will find themselves
when they lay aside the sword and
contemplate the loss in lives and ma
| terials. Then, if permanent world
peace is to be more than dream, It
will become reality. The pacifcists
expect to win on the reaction from
, war.
Arthur Deerin Call, secretary Of the
American Peace society, has been ask
ing some pregnant questions.
How many Americans know that
there would have been no war in
Europe except for the Internal gift of
eloquence Of little, olive-skinned man
who made an imprisoned speech be-
fore an international congress nine
years ago?
How many Americans know that if
the European war had held off another
two months 1t might not have oc-
Cured?
The olive-skinned man was a Cen
trail American delegate to the Second
Hague conference in 1907 Forty-four
nations, through their plenipoten-
tiaries, had agreed to a world court o.
arbitral justice-a supreme court OF
the world. There remained the ques-
ton Of representation on the court. At
this point the Central American de-
manded equal representation for this
country. His speech swayed the dele
gates from other small countries, and
there was no agreement. The confer
ence was abortive.
Since then several acceptable solu-
tons have been offered for this prob
lem. Had such a solution been accept
ed then, the court would have been es-
tablished and the war prevented.
How, you ask, with so many scraps
of paper?" How could such a court,
with no force behind it, have main
tanned the peace Of the world?
Through public opinion the peace
advocates answer. 1t is unnecessary
to have force behind the world courts
DEGREES. they say.
Our own states have accepted our
supreme court. In the early days
there was great doubt If the supreme
court could enforce its decisions. and
once one Of our states successfully de-
fed the supreme court to enforce its
mandate.
So, Call says, in the nine years since
1907 the world would have come to ac-
cept the court of arbital justice. More