THE PATHWAY OF PEACE.

Evening Star, Issue 16782, 10 July 1918, Page 8

THE PATHWAY OF PEACE.

TO THE TJmTOR. Sir.—l read with pleasure and profit tiiu above article in Saturday's issue of the ' Star.* It is almost certain that out "of the "ruins and devastations of the present war. there will arise a better and more humane method of settling international disputes than the cruel arbitrament of war. A League of Nations or a League to Enforce Peace, or some other such organisation, must be established if the civilisation of the world is to be saved from the fate- that has befallen the civilisations of the past. , - It looks as if some ol the politician* of Europe and America, are yoing to take the credit- to themselves of having been the first to advocate the policy of a Loapue of Nations. In fact, the writer of the above article says : " The idea took shftp* jnainly in America. It was Jormula-ted two years a-go in an address Tftren at the annual "Mnhnu'c Peace Conference on Internati.-nal Arbitration, under the ti + le of ' A Lecgue to Enforce Peace.'" I have before me a report of the first. National Congress that assembled lit Washing-ton in May, 1016. of the League to Enforce Peace, containing: the report of twenty-five speeches delivered by the roost "prominent men in American public life, including E Taft and President Woedrow Wilson. Grange as it may seem to many of your readers, there "was not a speech delivered, an idea advocated, or a pr'i.eiplo set forth in the lea-tjtie's prtsgranime that ".wt;? not advocated in substance and more fully c-x----nlained by an Englishman (whose name one hardly if ever hears mentioned today) some thirty-six year* a",o —viz.. Augustus MoivrrediVn. In a work entitled -Wealth Creation.' and dedicated to *Th Kit I C.runville ' ia book by the way thrt trio ni.lith'ians of Europe. America, ar.d :';-se snarer lm-rm-wrmld do well to re id'. !''■• author brings under tho merctle=s sc-m hhjit of criticism all the impediments to wealth Mention, and unite boldly and fearle«sly shows conclusively that militarism and war are not only the greatest impediments, bnt the destroyers of t ivil'stition. if not checked and he'd in hounds. This show* the fallacy of tire policy that is now being advocated—viz., com■■uerc!:'.! isolation -and suggests :>s a t-.'medy the establishment of a L'nited States' of Europe t'Anwrica ■was then governed by the Monnv Doctrine) for the nurposo of" settling international disputes ■i:;d enforcing the pea-e against any State I hat Tt'fuses "to a.iipt the decision of the ■" eounci!." The author suggests a. constitution of '"cO chiuses. I'.hielr I would like to cive in full, but snare prevents. 1 will -give four clauses lh.it . .-rrcspoird i'> the four idvo- ate.l by Vis.■•■uni. Grey ;irtd the League to Enforce I 'eacc. Clause 5 <TOTesoor>.!s •.. th" f ir-f p.r't of the league's programme : " The council have full power to examine into, collect evidence upon, and finally to decide a*l dispntes and differerues which may exist or arise between two or mor- of the States that have become parties to tho treaty nnder wliich the council is formed, lint their power does not t" the .settlement of disputes and differetK-es Ix-dveeit any of the said States iiarties to t'-e ( ireatv and other States not parties there- I unto?' j Clans 9 7 oorresponds to part ?. and • reads: "The council have the power! tt) determiuo and assign the interpretn- j tions and tmo meaning and intent of the | treaties subsisting between the various- I States that have become parties to th» | treaty under which the <onnril is formed, j which States shall be thr-ouehout thesr-> articles designated a.s the ' t "nmbine.l j States.'" ! C'laitso 12 corresponds- to part 3 : '• fu the cas*i of any dfs'i-ion of the eouneil beinj disobeyed or disregurded, the combined States agree and bind themselves to unite in enforcing it by such means and in sneii mamier as the council shall determine." Clause 15 corresponds to part 4: "The council shall bo deemed constituted, and their operations shall commence, as soon | a*, and not before, the absent to the treaty authorising their formation shall have. been given -by such a number of European States as that their aggregate population .shall amount to at legist four-sevenths j of the total population of Europe." I Your readers will now see that Augustua ilongredien advocated all that the politicians! to-day (who have proved themaelvea unable to maintain the peace of the world) advocate nearly four decades ago. I do not wish to see credit divert to those who do not deserve it. ! have therefore written the above for the purpose of placing some of the honor where it is justly due, and say a word in favor of a man who had the courage of his convictions to tell the world what he believed to be the troth. The name of Augustas Moflgredien ought to be associated with the policy that bids fair of realisation — via.. ''A League* of Nations."—l am, etc., M.S. July 3.