Evening star., 1927-11-12
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

ten oy Gen. John McAuley Palmer OF
the United States Army. under the
title Craftsmanship or War;" The
American author quotes from book
by a German, Gen. Karl Won Clause.
WITT. soon after the Napoleonic wars,
Gen. Palmer says:
War, according to Clausewitz. is
not an isolated or separate thing in
itself. 1t is simply special form of
politics.
- "If we think of this in the
light of ClausewitZ's definition we
shall discover that. strictly speaking.
there is no such thing, per Sc. as
cause of war. There are many causes
of political controversy. and, under Ger.
tain conditions, any political contro-
versy may take the special violent
form of political action known as war.
/" Although Washington was
born half century before Clausewitz
he clearly saw the relation between
war and the normal forms of political
action. In Clausewitzian terms Wash
ington's advice to his, countrymen
might be stated this way:
RELY on just dealings with other
Seek your legitimate political ends
through peaceful negotiations and
understanding, but, lest some aggres-
sor should impose the other form of
political action known as war or threat
of war upon you, maintain yourselves
in respectfully defensive posture
In contrast with that inOffensive,
but defensive. policy of Washington.
Is the typical attitude of Frederick
the Great, King Of Prussia, which the
author puts in words. as follows:
when peaceful negotiation fails to
solve a political question the con-
trOversy assumes another form Of
political intercourse known as var.
Now, when a controversy assumes
this second form, it is decided, not
by the best cause, but by the most
force. Therefore. IL / have enough
force / can always compel submis-
sion to my will without reference to
the merits Of my cause.
Furthermore, if / am known to
be invincible in this second form and
always eager to embrace it, l can
enforce my will beyond my Just
rights, even while political action. is
still in its normal peaceful form. be-
cause l can always threaten a resort
to the second form If / am not
humored.
my policy should, therefore, be to
prepare for sudden. victorious attack.
With this assured / shall be able to
make my neighbors pay me a sort
OF communication Of victory even in
time Of peace. Therefore, l propose
to maintain a striking force always
ready for offensive military action"
The author adds:
"A failure to distinguish between
these two types of armament ac.
counts for an apparent paradox in
present-day agitation Of the arma.
ment question. One very earnest
gentleman says that he is opposed
to armaments because armaments
provoke war. Another equally ear.
nest gentleman says that he is in
favor of ornaments because arma.
ments prevent war. =" If the
first gentleman will say. Il am op.
posed to offensive armaments because
they tend to provoke war; he will
be entirely right. If the second gen.
tleman will say, 4 favor defensive
armaments because they tend to pre-
vent war; he also will be entirely
right 80
Since war is but another form Of
diplomatic negotiations" and usually
comes through the gradual develop.
ment OF negotiations. suddenly as
Stunning belligerency. what sovereign
government will put up a bond to
ally itself with one or the other
party at the behest of unknown in
fluences~ operating upon a council Of
alien birth and Affiliations?
~ X
The leader in the Senate seeking to
outlaw war is Senator Borah, and
within the last few days he has been
quoted as opposed to any agreement
that the United States should refuse
to trade with a friendly nation on the
ground that it was the "aggressor" in
4 war which our interests were neutral.
1.-THE proposal to outlaw war;" said
Senator Borah, means that war
should be no longer recognized as
q legitimate means of settling inter.
disputes, and would thereby
differ from thhe League of Nations
plan for preserving peace, or the
procedure outlined in the Locarno
agreement. Both the League plan
anC the Locarno agreement contem.
plate resort to armed force in certain
Success for the plan to outlaw
war will depend largely upon the
,odification of international law and
the setting up Of an international
tribunal which would be recognized
IS really independent. Arbitration
md diplomatic negotiation would also
De depended on to settle some con.
The Senator added: "I do not
assume for n moment that an agree
nent to outlaw war would end war.
,ut it would strip 1t of it's status. as
1 legitimate method for the settle.
nent of international disputes"
AD