THE H.B. TRIBUNE. MONDAY, MAY 21, 1917. ENFORCING PEACE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VII, Issue 124, 21 May 1917, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. MONDAY, MAY 21, 1917. ENFORCING PEACE.

In many quarters very grave doubts are expressed as to the possible efficacy of the International League to Enforce Peace that, proposed in America, is b'eing now widely discussed. There, are others in which it meets with vigorous oposition as possibly creating an actual national danger" the instance of the Holy Alliance entered into by Russia, Austria. and Prussia shortly after Waterloo being cited as the fearful example. This alliance, if such it may properly be called, was promulgated in all sincerity by the Emperor Alexander .1 with the purpose of securing permanent peace for Europe. While the principles embodied were entirely lofty, they were but vaguely expressed, and virtually no definitely practical machinery was provided for their enforcement. As a consequence it degenerated into a conspiracy against popular liberties and failed altogether of the high purpose for .which it was announced. Despite this failure. howevr. there are many who hold that the world has learned much during the, last hundred years and is now much better prepared and inclined for the acceptance of some definite and practical association of civilized Powers designed, if not for the prevention of war, at least with a view to compelling sane discussion and negotiation, with possible arbitration, that might avert it. Among these is Mr. Edward M. Chapman, an American writer, who discusses the subject at considerable length in the ■’Hibbert, Journal.” He meoirniss three groups of sincerely thoughtful people produced by the consideration of such a war as that through which we are passing. These are the militarists, whose conviction is strengthened that war is normal and that its recurrence must be expee'ed while human society endures. There are those who proclaim the doctrines of extreme pacifism, though often in a highly belligerent tone, and without pointing on any practicable road to the realisation of their expressed convictions. Between these extremists. who manage to arouse much passionate feeling quite inconsistent with a search after peace, there is the third group, which believes that, since war is so great an evil as to seem, while it continues, the supreme evil, it can be done away by agreement backed by the sanction of an adequate combination of Force. As against these the militarist. advances the rather vague argument that their scheme is Utopian—outside the realm of practical realization. The pacifists, on the other hand, who preach the dogma of non-resistance will have no element even of restrictive force introduced into their fanciful plans. in reply to the advocates of the •’’Utopian” theory, Mr. Chapman points out that there is no need to labour the proposition that “the realisation of dreams is the measure of human progress,’’ arid that only by thinking teat the thing mankind’s welfare wants is attainable, although the means to the end be not yet clear, is attainment possible. He reminds the pacifist, who erics that the use of force to preserve peace is a contradiction and a mockery, that peace and freedom within (States and other communities have been gradual in their growth, co-operative forces slowly getting the upper hand of competitive forces. ‘’The policeman’s truncheon,”- he says, “is as real a symbol of peace as the hard-used olivebranch, so long as its presence m ;« community prevents disorder ten times where it descends in necessary violence once.” He then traces the growth of the League in America, and gives the three cardinal principles which discussion has evolved as a basis for international rules. These are :— 1. AU “justiciable” questions (i.c., questions governed by existing international rules) arising between the signatory Powers, not settled by negotiation, shall, subject to the limitation of treaties, be submitted to a judicial tribunal for hearing and judgment, both upon the merits and upon any issue of its jurisdiction of the question. 2. All other questions arising between the signatories, and not settled by negotiation, shall be submitted to a Council of Conciliation for hearing, consideration, and recommendation. 3. The signatory Powers shall jointly use forthwith both their economic and their military forces against any one of their number that goes io war, or commits acts of hostility against another of the signatories, before any question shall have been submitted as provided in the foregoing.

The third of these articles contains the crux of the whole matter. It is not designed primarily to punish ; it is not designed at ail to enforce tho decree of the tribunal of Article 1, or the recommendations of Article 2. Its sole object is the keeping of the peace, or the restraint of the would-be disturber, until the matter at issue can be examined and some rational solution discovered. It is thought that the mere lapse of time involved will, in a multitude of cases, permit passion to subside and dispose nations to reason. Beyond this, the certain prospect of the exorcise of economic and military pressure will keep unruly members from any premature outburst. The members of the League are not foolish enough to imagine that tlie measures proposed will succeed in banishing war from the face of the earth. They merely hope that they will retard its outbreak, give reason and mediation time to play, and reduce the frequency of the recurrence of resorts to the ordeal of battle. It will be noted that the League merely proposes to apply its restrictive measures among the subscribing members, it might wfell be thought that the principle should be extended so as to bring under its ban any nation going to war without submitting to the course suggested.

The death of the Serbian Genera! Putnik announced by cable on Saturday removes from the military world one of its most notable figures. He was a home-bred soldier, having, unlike most of the successful Serbian leaders, received no part of his military education abroad. He came of Serbo-AusGian stock, his father having been a native of the Banat. in

Hungary, who emigrated to Serbia and followed there his calling as a school teacher. Young Putnik was early attracted to a military career and passed through the Academy at Belgrade. His first taste of actual warfare was against the Turks in IR76A ami ,in 1885. when war broke out with Bulgaria, he held the rank cd Lieutenant-Colonel. A sympathy with the radical party in Serbia lost favour for hini with King Milan, who was strongly opposed to his officers mixing in politics. Putnik's time was therefore mainly devoted to military studies and writings until the accession of King Peter in 1903, when he emerged from comparative seclusion and was quickly unpointed to the rank of general; becoming ere long the most, prominent military figure in the Kingdom, lie was m supreme command of the successful Serbian Armv during the Balkan wars of 1911-13, and. though close. on seventy years of age, still occupied that position when Austria so unwarrantably attacked Serbia in July. 1914. The outbreak of the Great IVar found Serbia much exhausted bv recent efforts and ill-prepared. The enemy invaded in greatly superior numbers. Putnik and his army routed them. The Austrians resolved to make, one more effort vyith overwhelming forces. The Serbians ran short of ammunition. They were forced back and back until it looked as if the doom of Serbia, was already scaled. But then, when the Serbians were almost pinned to the ground, ammunition arrived from the Allies. At once Putnik and his men resumed the offensive, and hurled the enemy in headlong rout out- of Serbia. It- is estimated that out of 300.000 who invaded the country’ one-third were killed, wounded., or capture*!. This Serbian deteat of the Austrians is regarded by military critics as one of the finest achievements of the war. But it was accomplished in vam so far as saving Serbia from conquest was concerned. AVe all know how a still larger Austro-German army, aided by Bulgaria's treacherous entry upon the war. and by King Constantine's still, more treacherous abandonment of the ally be was sworn . to . support, against her. over-rail Serbia. And now the valiant old warrior has passed away without having been able to see'with fleshly e ves her redemption from the ruthless invaders-

Since writing on Saturday a goodly budget of cable news has come through, but. although they show .hat intense activity continues oIT the Western front. littJe further definite change is revealed in the general position, mutual raiding and artillery bombardments being the rule in both the British and sections. 11l iiie neighbrnirhocd of Braye-en-Laonncns. however, the Germans appear Io have attacked in force on a fair!v big front, and although the main violence of the assault was broken by the French artillery, the enet’v seems to have gained some slight advantage in so far as getting a "footing in the French advanced trenches. The German. reports speak, of (’(jiii's**, <'>f lit.tie the failure of Allied attacks, their veracity beings- best gauged by the statement that Bullecoiirf "was evacuated undisturbed by th'’ enemy. who established himself there twentyfour hour- >at.-r." This scarcely tallies with tic' vivid descriptions given bv our side ol the desperate hand-to-hand lighting that ended in our getting complete possession of a niueh-eovtest ed and highly.import;:nt position having a very definite beat ing on our retention and extension of our hold in the Hindenburg hue. Of this line a .French authority say s th*it n. front oi sow* fittpci) knometres (nine miles) has now been either badly bent or completely breached, wiih the vw-ult that evidences are forthcoming df an .intended withdrawal affecting the en.eniv fronts opposed to both the British and the French. This conclusion is drawn from aerial observation, of new trench systems m the rear being in hasty preparation, and from indications of destruction and devastation such as preceded and accompanied the German retirement from the Somme position. It remains. however, to be seen li«jw far these predictions will be justified. In the meantime B’’it'-h labour is working zealously with French in order to restore productiveness to the areas already wrested from the barbarian invaders.