Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-20

Furthermore, the Da1Zzie placed ON Tur-
key and China which leaves the determi-
nation OF their custom duties to the Great
Powers has by no means removed these
places from the arena of international
politics. On the either hantt, we have the
examples of two n5uch less conspicuous
international commissions which have
been remarkably successful FOR q number
or years. Ever since the collapse of
Turkish credit Ia 1875 a commission of
representa- tives from the Great Powers
has administers the financial affairs of
Turkeys with such signal success that
no controversies have ever arisen. An
other International commission, nuch
older than the one just referred to. is
the Danube commission This body of
men superintends the navigation of this
great highway of commerce for many
miles up the river. So successful has
been it's work that it, too, has the univer
sal approval of the great nations. When
one considers the success of the Danube
commission it does not appear at ALI inn
possible to place such important water
ways as the Dardanelles and the Bos
phorus under International control. The
government of these places should be in
the hands of an international commission
from whose decision there could be no
appeal Unless the commission enjoys
such authority it becomes worse than
useless. Similar commissions should be
established for the supervision of loans
made to weak and backward countries, in
order that such countries may not borrow
money beyond their capacity to pay. Such
commissions could also supervise the con-
ceSsionS made to foreigners for the build
ing of railways and the opening of mines,
banks. and schools. 1t is unnecessary to
point out that unless these commissions
keep the interests of the natives in mind
the device will be an entire failure. IN
deed, these commissions should be COM
posed OF men who are not only capable of
rendering Justice to all foreigners in
such countries, but they should also be
men who are inspired with a zeal to lift
up the natives to d higher plane of in
telligence and seif-g0vernnent
Demand Freedom of Trade.
These suggestions all demand d greater
freedom of trade than now exists in the
world. Tt VIII be necessary to go even
ngly evident that all nations will have
to agree to the abolition of ddiscrimi-
mating duties which now sometimes OBJ
tain between mother country and colony
1t may even be necessary, as President
Wilson has recently limited, to make the
import duties of all countries matter of
International agreement. 1t is a per-
fectly Well-known fact that the intricate
system of protective duties by which each
country bargains with the others for re-
clprocal reductions in duties is one of the
chief factors in producing international
jeaIousies. After ALL the whole world is
interested in the rate of duties charged in
other countries. and it is not unreas0n-
able to suppose that future generations
will insist upon some international regu-
lation Of the same.
There is yet one other kind of regula-
tIOn WHICH appears to be a necessity,
namely, the preventing of differential
rates on railroads passing through sew
eTat countries.
In the United States an interstate COM
merce commission carefully avoids al
lowing the rates to be made in such
way AS to give cities located at about
equal distances from the source of supply
any advantage over one another There
is just as much necessity for similar act
ion in parts of the world where railroads
do International business. In this way
it would be impossible for Germany to
control Russia's wheat supply by means
Of preferential railroad rates granted to
her cities. Likewise, goods landed at
Antwerp would have equal opportunities
to be carried to Colone or Lille without
any rate discrimination except that
which the distance and the difficulty of
ofhauI naturally requires. Thus, not only
international marine trade, but interna-
tional railway traffic becomes the SUBJ
Jeet Of international agreement.
Who can doubt but that some such
measures would lead to better internal
tional feeling? The varying types of gov
eminent do not cause international con-
flicts in most instances. They may ac-
centuate them after war begins. Ordi-
narily, however, people who differ radi-
cally in government, religion, dress size,
and color, in fact in q thousand ways,
live peacefully beside one another in the
tition and discrimination strs up suspic-
ion and diStrust. Indeed, we now have
the climax of it in the greatest struggle
ever staged in the history of the world
Peace,--Iet us not be decefVed-there can
be no peace unless there is also Economic
peace.--FroTn Penn State Collegian.