A LEAGUE OF PEACE 411 



by one act is the creation of a world, court to settle international 

 disputes. 



As I write, report comes that to-morrow the august tribunal is to 

 begin hearing France and Britain upon their differences regarding 

 Muscat. There sits the divinest conclave that ever graced the earth, 

 judged by its mission, which is the fulfilment of the prophecy, " Men 

 shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning 

 hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they 

 learn war any more." 



Thus the world court goes marching on, to the dethronement of 

 savage war and the enthronement of peaceful arbitration. 



The Hague tribunal has nothing compulsory about it; all members 

 are left in perfect freedom as to whether they submit questions to it 

 or not. This has sometimes been regarded as its weakness, but it is, 

 from another point of view, its strongest feature. Like international 

 law, it depends upon its merits to win its way, and, as we have seen, 

 it is succeeding; but so anxious are many to hasten the abolition of 

 war that suggestions are made towards obtaining the consent of the 

 powers to agree to submit to it certain classes of questions. In this 

 it may be well to make haste slowly and refrain from exerting pressure. 

 This will all come in good time. Peace wins her way not by force; 

 her appeal is to the reason and the conscience of man. In all treaties 

 hitherto the great powers have retained power to withhold submission 

 of questions affecting ' their honor or vital interests.' This was only 

 natural at first, and time is required gradually to widen the range of 

 subjects to be submitted. The tendency to do this is evident, and it 

 only needs patience to reach the desired end. The greatest step for- 

 ward in this direction is that Denmark and the Netherlands and Chili 

 and Argentina have just concluded treaties agreeing to submit to arbi- 

 tration all disputes, making no exception whatever. To crown this 

 noble work, the latter two have erected a statue to the Prince of Peace 

 on the highest peak of the Andes, which marks the long-disputed 

 boundary between them. 



Another splendid advance in this direction has been made in the 

 agreement to arbitrate all questions between Sweden and Norway. 

 Questions affecting ' independence, integrity or vital interests ' are ex- 

 cepted ; but should any difference arise as to what to do, that question is 

 to be submitted. In other words, either nation can claim that a 

 question does so, and, if the Hague tribunal agrees, it is not arbitrated. 

 But if the tribunal decides the difference does not concern the ' inde- 

 pendence, integrity or vital interests of either country/ then it is sub- 

 mitted to arbitration. This is certainly a step forward; and you 

 will please note that intangible thing — ' honor ' — is omitted. 



These nations are to be cordially congratulated on taking the initial 



