THE VALUE OF TREATIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16243, 28 November 1914, Page 6

THE VALUE OF TREATIES.

Universal, peace is one of tho dreams that in all ages has proved attractive to the philosopher and philanthropist. It is a strange commentary upon our civilisation that wo have not advanced appreciably further towards the goal of the pacifist than was reached in the days of Joshua, who preached the doctrine of pacification by extermination. Precisely the saino dictum is propounded to-day by tho Kaiser, for that is practically what

German hegemony means. The Triple Entente, for its part, holds that there can 1)© no peace until Prussian militarism has been dug out, root and branch, and burnt. As recently as a few months ago pacifists of all nations -were declaring that civilisation had advanced so far that a world-war was unthinkable. Their arguments were unanswerable, if only human nature were not the frail thing it is. Japan, the latest Power to enter the Council of Nations, has stood by the spirit and the letter of her treaty obligations. Germany, however, considered herself strong enough to tear up the treaty she had signed guaranteeing the neutrality of Belgium, as she would tear up to-morrow, if her hands were not already too full, the treaties assuring the Netherlands and Switzerland of independence. Yet Germany is quoted as the apostle of culture and civilisation—the leader in all that makes for the advancement of the human race. We are frequently told that in science as in philosophy Germany is in the van. To whatever extent this may be true, it is at any rate the case that in no other country in the world is social life overshadowed by the mailed fist of militarism as it is in German}'. Can one wonder at the horrors of Liege, Louvain, and other places, when officers are instructed that if a half-drunken boy lieutenant imagines himself insulted by a mere civilian—even if the latter be a man of eminence in culture or refinementr-it is his duty to draw his sword and run him through? What hope of universal peace is there while such doctrines. are taught in a powerful army and enforced by the cast-iron discipline of military caste? What chance is there of peace while an immense war machine imposing guch tenets upon half-fledged subalterns as well as upon veteran officers flaunts its vaunted power in the face of a world that is desirous of avoiding conflict? Of what value would peace agreements be to a nation which so wantonly disregards the obligations of treaties, and of which ,the public men cannot even understand the attitude of statesmen who consider their pledged word binding even when to break it might appear to be an advantage? Colonel Maritz's doubly-dyed treachery in South Africa is merely the personal application of the doctrine of national dishonour—the logical sequence of teachings which hold that truth and all the finer qualities that make for manly character are of no account. It is impossible for any man, officer or civilian, to fall lower than to betray his comrades. To such a depth of degradation even savages would not descend. Recent events, and especially the terrible struggle in which the European nations and the British Empire are now engaged, have astounded those who believed that the peace of the world could be established on the basis of international conventions. Their aim is a noble one, but before it can be achieved human nature must be altered. We have been shown that the menace to the world's peac# may not come so much from semicivilised nations as from one which claims to set an example in progress to the rest of humanity. Unfortunately, neither East nor West is yet prepared for the doctrine of peace. By some nations at least the doctrine that "might is right" is firmly held, and while that is so other peoples must be ready to defend their birthright. To the British nation the lesson is a useful one. There must be no relaxation of efforts to maintain the strength of the navy and the army, and the dominions must be prepared to assume their full share of the burden. The nation which is most ready for defence is least likely to be attacked. It is to be hoped that an opportunity for a period of prolonged rest may be provided after Prussian militarism has been stamped out, but even then no risks must be run.