The Detroit times., 1917-01-06

dressed the Detroit Real Estate Board
"A league to enforce peace? Ha, ha.'
Once again quoting Congressman
Gardner, of Massachusetts.
compulsory. military service? HUR-
RAHw
Still quoting Congressman Augustus F.
Gardner.
Listen:
We are invited 10 ally ourselves with European
and Asiatc nations in establishing an interna.
tional court, with international army and
navy 10 back up Its DEGREES. They lken this
international force 10 magnihed city police
and they point out the admirable ease with which
the policemen control turbulence.
~ International army and navy prevent
the war well and good; but suppose that they
cannot prevent the war. Suppose that some
ton or group OF nations reject the verdict OF the
court Suppose that the international army and
navy must actually be used 10 enforce its decree
What then? Is the United States going 10 let
thai international court declare war with Us In
some European Asiatic quarrel. with which
We have no concern whatever? Has your opin-
Ion OF your congress sunk 50 low that You are
ready TO take away from US the power 10 declare
war and hand the power over 10 court OF Euro
pean and Asatc lawyers
Thus ranted Congressman Augustus p
Gardner. of Massachusetts, and thus most
ridiculously.
Let's see:
lie speaks of group of nations reject
ing the verdict of the court.of nations and
defying the international army and navy
The international army and navy could
very easily take care of minority of dis
senters, so the congressman must have in
mind MAJORITY.
A MAJORITY representation in the
court would amount to a majority repre-
sentation in the international army and
navy, and the only possible chance we can
see of war would be war that the ma
jority would vote in the court TO fight
with itself.
We are compelled to believe that bet
ter understanding of what would be pos
sible of accomplishment by court of ma
tons is had by Hamilton Holt, editor and
owner of "The Independent" whose
speech before the League to Enforce
Peace in Washington, in May of last year,
took care of the congressman argument,
but, unfortunately, does not appear to
have been read by him.
In his speech Holt made himself clear
by an analogy. as follows:
can make this point clearer BY an analogy
Suppose instead Of talking about forty-six great
states we speak OF forty-six farmers the west.
tern frontier all engaged in growing grain. and
all armed 10 the teeth. II is perfectly evident
that instead OF raising grain they would be
raising Cain. Suppose there were fifteen or
twenty OF them who had more sense, than the
others They would soon get together 10 devise
= sEaAz=aaa Iaeana of establishing peace How
would they go about II? Not BY making srbitra-
ton treaties with another and leaving their
dispute 20 third man 10 decide. They would
rather get together and form posse comtatus. !
a vigilance committee league 10 enforce peace.
and they would say. Woe be,ide any man who
hereafter breaks the peace of this community.
And IL they were strong enough they would main
tain H. but IL not they would In all probability be
shot up themselves. But soon some man on
tho outside Of the group would say 10 himself
These the progressive men Of this
community; ] bad better cast my lot with them
Aud this man joined the group IL could disarnr
would b. able TO reduce their force little more
aud little more until finally one or two armed
men. policemen, could maintain the peace Of the
community and the rest would 60 about unarmed
be able 10 reduce their force little more AMI
little more, until finally one or two armed men
policemen could maintain the peace -eena-
munity and the rest would 70 about unarmed
Apply this analogy 20 the nations. Suppose
the majority OF the great powers joined the
League Suppose the League had an army %
two million. Suppose Russia stays out and has
an army Of one million. II would b. no use for
the League 10 keep army OF two million FOR
Russia. lou could reduce the force Of the League
TO one and half million. or even one and a quar-
ter million, and siill be protected and safe iron
Russia. But IN The meantime the liberal men -
Russia VII BE- seeing that the nations IN the
League 'tfc getting greater protection for rhcm.
seises ioi less taxation and nnally Rus-i8 would
hppl, 10 join Tho League Aud when Ru.sls
came Va ihcfc would be pro rata fcducf or ~
OF the LeAGun- Ln11r Ia Ia u.
81 the next most heavily armed nation ard 20
on down until nearly all the nations were IN the
League emo the ornaments were reduced To an
international police.
Now that is the theory OF League OF Nations
II may not be worked out In Just that way when
this war is over but that is the theory We are
living under the competitive theory Of arnaments
MOI and hat