The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-01-06

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's 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 on the west
tern frontier all engaged in growing grain. and
all armed 10 the teeth. IL 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 ger together 20 devise
ways and means Of establishing peace. How
would they go about it, Not By making arbtrs-
ton treaties with another and leaving their
dispute to third man 10 decide. They would
rather get together and form posse corniiatus,
vigilance committee league TO enforce peace.
and they would say. Woe betide any man who
hereafter breaks the peace OF this community
And II they strong enough they would main
shot up" themselves. But soon some man on
the outside OF the group would gay 20 himself
These men are the progressive men ~ this
community, nad better cast my lot with them
And as this man joined the group II could disarm
little and as other men joined The group rbey
would be able 20 reduce their force a LITTLE more
and a little more. until finally one or two armed
men. policemen, could maintain the peace OF the
community and the rest would 20 about unarrued
Apry this analogy 20 the nations. Suppose
the majority OF the great powers Joined the
-
two million. suppose Russia STAYS out and has
army Of one million II would be no use for
the League 20 keep army OF two million for
Russia You could reduce the force OF the League
TO and half million or even one ana a quar-
ter million. and stlll be protected and safe from
Russia. But In the meantime. the liberal men in
Russia viii be seeing hat the nations IN the
League are getting greater protection for them
selves for less taxation and finally Russia would
apply 10 join the League. And wh,n Russia
came In there would be pro rata reduction "
the ornaments OF the League down 20 the size
OF the next most heavily armed nation and 70
on down until nearly all the nations were IN The
League and the ornaments were reduced 20 an
international police,
Now that is the theory OF "A League az Nations.
II may not be worked out In just that way when
this war II over bar that s the theory We are
Twins under the competitive theory OF armamenfs
now. and under that theory ornaments mus
continually so up.
That speech, delivered in the early part
of 1916 anticipated either the misunder-
standing or the wilful Misrepresentation
of preparationists like Congressman
Gardner in the matter of court of ma
tions and an international army and navy.
Its last paragraph, too, serves at this
time TO emphasize what the congressman
admitted, though perhaps unintentional-
", in deploring the fact that we are not
armed TO the teeth in the latest improved
equipment for letting blood and depriving
mothers of their sons.
Once more quoting Congressman Au-
gustus r. Gardner. Of Massachusetts,:
II seems to me as n OF late years. ever since