Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-08

vantage In shutting our eyes to the
facts; nor should we turn in disgust
of panaCeas to the counsel of despair
! Ehe pathway-ef peace is the longest
and most beset with obstacles the
human race has to tread, the goal
may be distant, but we must press
| on.
| If war Is outlawed, other means Of
redress of injuries must be provided.
Moreover, few, if any, intend to out
law self-defense, right still accord
ed to individuals under all systems
of law. To meet this difficulty, the
usual formula is limited to wars of
aggression. But justification for war,
as recently demonstrated, is ready at
hand for those who desire to make
war, and there is rarely case of ad-
mitted aggression, or where on each
side the cause Is not believed to be
just by the peoples who support the
| war.
There Is a further difficulty that
lies deeper. There is no lawgiver for
| Independent states. There Is no leg
islature to impose it's will by major
| ity vote, no executive to give effect
even to accepted rules. The outlaw
ry of war necessarily implies a self;
| imposed restraint, and free peoples.
jealous Of their national safety, OF
their freedom of opportunity, of the
rights and privileges they deem es-
sential to their we'll being. will not
| forego the only sanction at their COM
! mand in extreme eXigencies. The re-
straints they may be willing to place
upon themselves will always be sub
iect to such conditions as will leave
them able to afford self protection by
force, and in this freedom there Is
! abundant room for strife sought to
be justified by deep-seatsa convic-
tions of national interest@ by long
standing grievances, by the appre-
! hension of aggression to be forestall-
/ cd.
1T is this difficulty which con-
stantly suggests recourse to force to
maintain peace. People who would
engage in war, it Is said, must be
| compelled to be peaceful; there
! should be an international force ade-
ouate to prevent aggression and 10
redress wrongs. The analogy of do
nestle peace is pressed: the force OF
the state-that is. of all the people
maintains the authority of the mum
icipal law and compels public order.
I'm considering the use of interna-
tional force to secure peace, we are
. AGAIN Drought " tl4C
ccssity of common accord. Great
mowers agreeing among themselves
NAV indeed hold small powers IN
check. But who will hold great pow
ers in check when great powers qls-
acreeo The trust in force must IN
truth he trust in common agreement
behind the force.
"All contrivances for maintaining;
peace by economic pressure as We" .,.
as by military force. depend upon the
sentiment which will apply the pres
sure and direct the force when tne
| test comes. Such arrangements are
likely to fail when they are mos.
needed, because national inter 60.
are diverse and unanimity OF acloi'
under stress of crises involving con
eints IF oninion is we'll nigh impos-
sihle, There is no path to peace eA-
cent as the will of peoples may open
II The way to peace is tnrousn
ooroement. not through force. Inc
question then is not of any ampitlous
general scheme to prevent war, ou'
simply of the constant eTort, "nicL
10 the highest task of craftsmanship
in relation to every possible cause OF
strife to diminish among peoples tne
disposition to resort to force anu !.
find a lust and reasonable OASIS ioi
accord. A.. -, ais-
"It is most desirable that all as
cussions of international reia.lols
should not revolve about quesllois VI
nolicv and expediency. however IN
nortant these may be. but that aiohs
it'll III this necessary discussion there
should be the determination 10 re-
establish the law, to quicken the
sense of the obligation of states un-
der the law. AS soon as possible tne
Qualification Of international law
should be undertaken. 1t would OF
difficult to conceive process requli
inc more deliberation and patience
For at every step the general con-
sent of nations must be had, and a.
every step, except in the simplest
matters, the opposing I,olicy and op-
iections of some nation will be, en-
countered. The difficulty must OF
met by conference, and by conlereh'
ces which have the sole object Oh pro-
noting the codification and develop
ment of law.
"Plans for commissions of inquiry
for periods of cooling off. for the use
of good offices. are all important ano
NAV be efficacious to gratifying eN-
tent. But these measures deai WIZ
cases already aggravated. and 1t may
well DC uuuulOu "hNeA~e
crises they would avail.
I'VE have to take account OF botn
the advantages and disadvantages OF
characterization. 1t is generally
thought that democracies are dis
posed to peace, but this is yet to be
demonstrated, where there is deer
feeling and a national sense OF In
Jury. There are governments WIN
an essentially democratic basis
where the executive power is sun
able to conclude many important IN
ternational agreements without rel
erence to the legislature; but this Is
due to the persistence of special
traditions. Usually in democracies
there is a final or coordinate author-
ity which rests with the parliament
or legislature. The more important
the agreements, as insuring peace by
settling bitter disputes, the more GER
tain it is that they will involve NUT
lal concessions. Thus in each coun-
try it is likely to be insisted that the
other has gained at its expense. and
this gives exceptional opportunity tC
critics who assume the most extreme
position on patriotic grounds.
aside from honest criticism, mod
ern negotiations between democra-
cies furnish rare opportunities fol-
the ready tongue of 'demagogues
There are today serious questions
between peoples which ought to be
&. taken up and settled in order to heal
fostering sores. But those in charge
of foreign affairs do not dare to un-
dertake to negotiate agreements be-
cause they know that in the presence
of attack inspired by political or par
tisan motives the necessary adjust
ment could not receive approval OF
the legislative branch and would
evoke such an acrimonious contro-
versy on both sides that matters