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PETH' MONDAY, DECEMbER 2, 1918.
SOME PEACE PROBLEMS."
No {arguments, however specious, said
Mr.. Churchill, at Dundee, and no ap
peals, however edctive, must lead, Bri
tain to abandoii her naval suprem3cy.
His words will find an. echo in every
British land. 'It is to the British Navy
the world owes the triumph of Right
over. Might. The democracies having
won the war against autocracy .are ansi
ously seeking for some preventive of
war. TN League of Nations is an ideal
that appeals strongly to the imagination
of the liberal nations. 'The idea, first
advanced by President Wilson, has 're
teived strong'support in many countries,
.and not the least in Britain, whose
people are pre-eminently peaceful. It
is necessary in international affairs as
in. domestic that wei should look before
vie lcap.. Indeed, caution is a greater re
quisite in the arena of international ac
tion, because mistakes may be impos
sible to repair. Secret diplomacy, and
secret agreements may be banished from
the .practices,of the nations- The forth-,
coming peace ccference should advise
the peoples of the world iow far'this
preliminary to universal and stable
peace has been adopted. If the confer
ence is held in public; if" the discussions
are published in reasonable fulness;' if
cerement on the proceedings is permitted
free from' the restrictions of an onerous,
and of. times stupid censorship, we may
indeed hope that the precedent thus set
will be a diplomatic landmark which
will keep the nations from straying into
the. quagmires of thd-ancient aiplomacy
znd deceit. But. the world will need
to advance some further steps towards
the millennium before the nations indi
vidually shall beat their swords into
ploughshares, and their spears into
pruning hooks, 'leaving ' to an inter
national police force the administration
of international justice. 'This is the
ideal to *bhich we aspire. It is the
noblest that has. ever seized upon the
imagination of man; but caution in the
endeavour to realise it is but elemen
tary wisdom. For though the peoples
and races of the world have been mixed
together, as never previously, in the
fiery crucible of. universal war,, and
yearnings for a new order and better
move the general conscience of mankind
to hope that a claner metal, from
which the dross has been purged, should
run into the mould of internationalism,
commonsense advises us to guide our ao
twins by the things we know as well as
by those we wvish to experience. No
Empire such as the British, charged
with the fate of four hundred million
people; no great democracies like Ame
rice and France can straightway put
uil their affairs, the final settlement of
any international controversy in which
they may engage, within the jurisdiction
of a Court that is as yet nothing but a
name. Establish an international 'tri
tunal, by 'all means. Give it the pres
tige that comes from the earnest good
will of the derhocratic nations. Let it
have a wide scope to hear and determine
the disputes of international litigants,
and as its judgments bear the stahip of
justice and wisdom it cannot be doubted
that the public opinion of the world will
prove an efficient police officer for the'
enforcement of its decrees.
But the League of Nations and the
hIIgh Court of Mankind must prove
themselves. Until they do any Power
stripping itself of the means of defence
invites irreparable disaster. For the
British Empire there is, as Mr. Churchill
raid, no substitute for the British Fleet.
Not yet, at any rate, apd not for a long
time to come. Again, as more than
once before, this fleet has proved the
salvation of the world. The British
people are unlikely to impair this won
derful sword of international justice by
entrusting its power to other, and, as
yet, uncertain hands. For some years
the work of reconstruction will absorb
the energies of the world. Grave pro
blems await discussion, and, if possible,
solution, at the peace conference. Some
subjeots are regarded, even by the Allies,
fiom diverse standpoints. To reconcile
views where goodwill lends-its assistance
towards .clarifying the atmosphere may
be a task of no little magnitude; to ar
rive at such a settlement as will satisfy
lil parties to the conference will be im
possible. "Impartial justice," .said Pre
sident Wilson. is to be the keynote of
the discussion-s." The announcement' is
one that, does infinite; credit to the jus
tice. and magnanimity of Mr. -Wilson.
But even "impartial justice" may .leave
litter memories when it is administered.
Lrdeed, we can .fai?cy an uneasy feeling
disturbing the thoughts of ouf late an
tagonists, and distracting from' the ex
citement attendant- upon- the lablour of
throwing kings upon the dustheap, and
the awkward fumbling over the novel
manufacture of democracy. They may,
well fear such' careful rectitude of deal
ing as is implied.in the term "impartial
justice," and pray the' victors that
"mercr" 'be substituted for it. The
world must still be educated somewhat
and the democratic schoolmasters must
have in their own hands means for the
'ccrrection of recalcitrant pupils. "Im
partial justice'" will not be` done at the
peace conference. Were it to be decid
ed nnon there would scarely be a place
for Germanr in the shadows and recesses
of the world. and much less would be
her chance of the sun.- The ,penalties to
be imposed upon the enemy will not fit
her crimes, for the latter were ininite,
while punishment must be finite. But
reliaration,; if the fiat of:the conference
stays at this, will leave her sore" There
is no sign that Germany is repentant.
Slhe must be educated .in the hard school
of hdversity, and until she tenderrs con
clusive evidence 'of a changed outlook
the nations . must guard. themselves
against a renascence dof Prussianism.
Restoration in full must be demanded
of her. And when she has restored Bel
gium.and Northern France, repaired the
wrongs done to Poland, Serbia, and Rou
mania; surrendered claim to her late
colonies, it is doubtful 'that she will be
able to pay anny fine in addition to the
damages.'
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