370 AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR EUROPE. 



are more apparent, than real, and that they may be eventually 

 overcome. 



Firstly, in civil society, in a national community, we are 

 aware that the concentration of legal power in the hands of 

 tribunals has tended to, and necessitated, the surrender of the 

 machinery of force, formerly exercised by individuals, and therefore 

 we may reasonably conclude that when a system of International 

 Law is adopted amongst nations, when the whole community of 

 nations become, as they are in the United States pf America, a 

 united international police, and especially when more and more 

 reliance is placed in the executive character, and authoritative 

 decisions of an international tribunal, we say, it is reasonable to 

 hope, that less and less reliance, as less and less necessity, will be 

 placed on military force, and military establishments, as a guarantee 

 of peace amongst the nations of Europe. 



Thus these burdensome and dangerous systems of armaments will 

 become less and less needed, and gradually a policy, so much to be 

 desired, of mutual reduction of the vast armaments, will be easily 

 attained, and safely secured. 



And secondly, in civil society, in a national community, it is 

 generally admitted that instances of refusal to agree, or to abide by a 

 judicial decision are exceedingly rare occurrences, and, therefore, is 

 it not equally possible, that in proportion as civilisation advances 

 amongst the peoples of Europe, as the system of InternationalJL,aw 

 becomes more and more relied upon, and more and more con- 

 solidated, that instances of refusal by a nation to obey, and to abide by 

 the decision of an International Tribunal, will also become equally of 

 rare occurrence, and thus, as the civilising influences of a more 

 humane policy exercise their sway in the world, the dire necessity, 

 of an appeal to violence will be averted, and recourse had to other 

 forces, than the display of military power, and the effusion of 

 blood? 



CONCLUSION. 



Nevertheless, we must acknowledge that we are engaged in a 

 mighty struggle in favour of a great reform, to secure the triumph of 

 law over war, of justice over brute force, and to hasten that glorious 

 day when, 



"The pen shall supersede the sword, 

 And right, not might, shall be the word." 



