WAR SETTLES MUCH

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 14

WAR SETTLES MUCH

FALLACY ANALYSED

BUT CRUEL, COSTLY METHOD PEACEFUL SETTLEMENTS ENDURE. "How often do wo meet people who say, 'Well, war has never settled anything anyhow, so what is the use of lighting; let 11s stop the gilly business.' When they have pronounced this verdict they * usually turn on their heel with an air of finality, as tho'igh the iast word has been said and no further argument was possible," writes Lord Davies in the "Western Mail."

"I confess that years ago I f?ll into tho same trap," adds Lord Davies. the argument used to run: War never settles anything except'which side happens to be tho stronger at a particular moment. This, of course, is true, out it is only a half-truth which may become ti convenient form of self-deception.

"If wo stop to think about it our knowledge and experience tell us that it is a complete fallacy. Wo have only to road our history books to discover that unfortunately in the past war has been the chief instrument_ for effecting changes in the relationship of States mid nations. The World Is Not Static. "It may well be that our will only becomes effective tor si time; in other words, war never settles anything permanently. That is quite true, but neither does any other procedure. A settlement mav be reached by negotiation, arbitration, or the legislation of an international JMrliamcnt., 'but unless there exists a peaceful procedure for the revision of the treaty—arbitral award or federal law—there is lKtuiid to be another explosion—war—when new conditions arise and these settlements become 'out of date.

"It may be true that agreements arrived at by recourse to reason are more permanent than those which have been imposed by brute force, but they will share the same fate unless the federal machinery for effecting peaceful revision is at hand. The experience of the last 21) years and the fate which has befallen the League prove this up to the hilt. The reason is obvious. The world is not static, and the law of change operates in international relationships just as it does in every other sphere of human society.

"What about the Roman Empire which through its conquests imposed peace u|>on the world for about Jive centuries? On - the other hand, Versailles only lasted two decades.

"At the conclusion of the American Civil War Lincoln was able to consolidate the Republic of the United States as 'one ami indivisible,' and the Roer War paved the way for the Union of South Africa, f might quote other instances, but after a moment's reflection our common sense tells us that war does settle many things, at any rate for a time. Settled By Force. "Whether it settles them rightly or wrongly is another matter. That depends upon which side wins, upon the terms of peace and the policies pursued when the war is over. War or the threat of war has temporarily at any rate settled the fate of the unfortunate Austrians, Abyssinians, Czechs, Albanians and Poles.

"It will decide whether Japan shall impose a stranglehold 011 China. It will also decide whether we are to become the slaves of Hitler—it is the stern arbiter of the fate of Europe at the moment.

"Xo, our quarrel with war is not that it does not settle anything, but that it is the most cruel, inhuman, insane, stupid and costly method of. settling anything. Further, that in many cases, though not necessarily in all. the settlement- founded on. tbe victory of force alone are less enduring and permanent than those which have been realised Involuntary and peaceful methods.*'