The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-07
Liberal Viewpoint
81 DIR. HARRY Elmer BARNES :

TENHE worst war scare since 1914 now hangs
L over Europe. Hence, it is timely and helpful
to have at hand the very distilled and concen-
trated essence OF scholarly research and wisdom
on the theme Of the causes of war and the
means of preserving peace Such is The Causes
and the Conditions of Peace" by DR.. Quincy
Wright of the University OF Chicago Nongmans
Green, $125).
Prof. Wright is one Of our most learned and
sensible students of international relations, and
he has had large resources at his disposal during
the last seven years to carry out elaborate re-
search on the subject of the causes Of This
book may be fairy regarded as the mature con-
illusions of the director OF this research.
Prof. Wright covers his important and broad
subject in the following manner: He first treats
of the general causes Of war and the safeguards
of peace. Next, he examines the historic changes
in the character of war. Then he considers the
importance of ornaments and the tallacy OF the
balance of power. This is followed by a review
Of the Importance OF international law and world
organization in the preservation OF peace. He
concludes with a consideration of the influence
of public opinion upon both and pacific
measures.
DARTICULARLY interesting is the authors
l. analysis of historical trends in the nature
of wars and the role of warlike operations since
the period Of the ancient Orient.
He finds that the size of armies has tended
to increase absolutely and also in proportion to
pOpuldUlON. Inc intervals between wars nave
grown longer. But, at the same time, there has
been an increase in the total number of battles
per century, in the number of battles in a war
year, and in the length of individual battles.
The money cost of war has increased 10th abso
lutely and relatively to the population.
TIE number of persons killed in battle, in
proportion to those engaged has declined. But
as the result of the increased size Of armies and
of the growing frequency Of battles, the proper
ton of the whole population killed in war has
tended to increase. The civilian population
suffers less from the direct ravages of war in
spite of the air raids which began with the
World War. The role and importance Of strictly
military operations in war has tended to decline
in comparison TO the increased significance of
economic resources and diplomatic propaganda.
country may win most of the battles and yet
lose the war. The place Of war an instrument
of world politics has definitely declined. One
reason is that the increasing cost of war has
brought about greater reluctance to resort to it.
DROF. WRIGHT finds that the major causes
of war are the following: Cd The hostility
of a large element in any community to the
existing state of affairs % the absence of
adequate international organization; 90 the
presence of system of law which is inconsistent
with justice or is incapable of REFRESHING vio-
lence; and "a an unstable equilibrium among
the material forces within the international
state system, inclining each potential enemy to
believe that he can win easy victory.
As to the conditions Of peace Prof. Wright
lists the following most important: Cd A
desire for peace which transcends all hatreds;
% an international organization s.rong enough
to restrain conflict; 30 a potent system of inter-
national law which does not tolerate violence;
and t4 means for predicting more accurately
the possibility of defeat if war is resorted to.
If war breaks out in Ethiopia it will send
many to their aliases and biographies. An ex-
tremely useful and readable introduction to his
torical geography is The Background of Geog-
raphy," by NJ. Whiting Spilhaus Lippincott,
$3.50. 1t is clear, accurate and entertaining
book dealing with the historical discoveries and
conquests of the past.