Arbitration.
It was not a complete but only a partial success. Certain
international questions cannot be adjusted by arbitration. The
losses of the American Civil War. Europe's terrible war record
during the nineteenth century. The Great American Republic in
1999 has no use for arbitration.
In the twentieth century many bloody wars were averted by the peaceful
offices of arbitration. The Great Dream of Universal peace, however,
had not been fully realized in 1999. In the political life of all
nations controversies arise that cannot be left for adjudication
to arbitration. Were it not so all disputations might be entrusted
to the decision of the arbiter and the world would gain immensely by
the abolition of the savage methods of war. A majority of the disputes
between nations can be settled by arbitration, but not all. No tribunal
of arbitration could have decided the issue in 1898 between America and
Spain. It was a question of tyranny. Spain was determined [Questions
That Cannot Be Arbitrated.] to maintain a hell at our very doors in
Cuba. That nation could not conquer Cuba and had proved, after over
four hundred years, her utter inability to govern that island. In the
face of wanton persecution, tyranny and merciless outrage perpetrated
by Spain, would America have been justified in leaving its contention
to arbitration? Certainly not.
When, in 1870, Count Beneditti, openly insulted the King of Prussia
at Ems and aroused the indignation of all German subjects, what
could Prussia do, leave the matter to arbitration? Impossible. After
Napoleon escaped from the island of Elba and returned to France in
1815, ought the other nations of Europe which he had overrun with fire
and sword, to have consented to arbitration as a means of quieting
Europe? Certainly not. When in 1860 the Southern States of America
seceded from the Union, declared their right of self government and
privilege of perpetuating slavery, what tribunal of arbitration could
have decided the issue between the North and South? None.
Human passions and ambitions did not change in the twentieth
century. International [It Commanded Universal Respect.] quarrels
arose in the nineteenth century which could not be submitted to
arbitration and war became the final resort. At the same time the
world's call for arbitration, and the efforts made to enthrone Peace
instead of War, never ceased to occupy the minds of twentieth century
statesmen. The history of the world for centuries had been written
in blood. The enormous standing armies of Europe were fast sapping
the vitality and energy of those nations. Something had to be done
to avert catastrophe and financial ruin and the Czar's call for a
Peace Congress at the Hague, justly commanded the respect of the world.
War is a dreadful stain upon humanity. It is cruel, barbarous. The
twentieth century was not equal to the task of entirely substituting
peace for war, but made great progress in that direction.
In the nineteenth century the North spent $4,800,000,000 during the
American [Cost of the American Civil War.] Civil War, and the South
spent $2,300,000,000. The number of casualties in the volunteer and
regular armies of the United States during this war were as follows:
Killed in battle, 67,056; died of wounds, 43,012; died of disease,
199,720; died from other causes, 40,154; total number of deaths,
349,944. The number of soldiers in the Confederate service, who died
of wounds or disease, was about 133,800.
The world's plea for arbitration in the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries was indeed a forceful one and the Peace Conference at
the Hague in 1899 deserved absolute success. It has been estimated
that 40,000,000 human beings perish in war every century. Since
the Trojan war (about 3,000 years ago), it is estimated that
1,000,200,000 men have perished (up to the close of the nineteenth
century) in battle. The population of the world in 1899 was placed at
1,500,000,000. If all who had been killed in battle since the Trojan
war could be ranged on a field and the entire population of the world
also enumerated, the numbers of the killed would nearly equal those
of the living.
In the 19th century in no direction was so much human energy wasted
as in preparation for war or in the process of actual warfare. It
was stupendous folly and a crime, a blot upon civilization. With such
terrible figures before them the advocates of universal peace might
well take heart at the sight of a Peace Conference, gathered in 1899
to adopt measures to reduce European armaments. During the last half
of the 19th century the following great wars were waged:
War. Cost. Losses.
Italian (1859) $300,000,000 45,000
Austro-Prussian (1866) 330,000,000 45,000
Crimean, 1,700,000,000 150,000
Russio-Turkish, 1,000,000,000 225,000
Franco-Prussian, 2,500,000,000 210,000
Zulu and Afghan, 300,000,000 40,000
American civil war, 7,100,000,000 800,000
--------------- ---------
Totals, $13,230,000,000 1,515,000
These figures are frightful but they represent only a fraction of the
losses of life and treasure through war, during the last half of the
19th century. The above figures do not include scores of other wars
that occurred during that period. The Chino-Japanese war did not
reduce the population of the Celestials to any appreciable extent
but in loss of treasure it proved a costly struggle. The war between
Spain [A Story only Half Told.] and America, commencing April 21st,
and ending October 26, 1898, must also be reckoned in this list. The
ceaseless tribal wars of Asia and Africa, also the French colonial
wars in Madagascar, Tonquin, Siam, and the endless struggles between
savage races of Borneo, Sumatra, the Zulus and head-hunters of the
Philippine islands must all be included in the list of mortality from
warfare during the last half of the 19th century.
The plea for arbitration and the cessation of war was a noble effort
and a just tribute to the civilization of the closing days of the
nineteenth century. America lent her voice in the cause of Peace at
the Hague Conference. In the interests of humanity this was the proper
course to follow. America at this conference represented 75,000,000
of the most intelligent, brave and industrious people on earth,
whose army was a mere corporal's guard.
In the twentieth century, however, the great United States of the
Americas, with [America a law Unto Herself.] its magnificent sweep
of territory extending from Alaska to Patagonia, and its national
capital built on the site of the city of Mexico, had little use for
arbitration. In 1999 the vast American Republic had become a world in
itself. It had long passed the period when it had become necessary to
consult other nations on international questions and abide by their
wishes. America in 1999 was a law unto herself, and had very little
use for arbitration in the disposition of her international affairs.
Arbitration answers very well providing that the arbiters are just
and impartial and prove themselves able to arrive at a decision in
perfect justice and equity. But America in the twentieth century,
on account of her enormous expansion and world-wide commerce, had
excited the jealousy as well as cupidity of every other civilized
nation, with the one exception of Great Britain. In any court of
international arbitration in which America might appear either as a
plaintiff or as a defendant, the chances were largely in favor of a
decision being rendered against her.
America was denied justice in these international courts of
arbitration. Left to the [Europe Becomes Jealous of America.]
decision of European arbiters her case was invariably lost. Even in
1898 Europe's jealousy was ill-concealed. Germany and France would
have been glad indeed to have assisted Spain in taming the Yankee
and the rest of Europe, England excepted, would have applauded their
interference. Because of England's firm stand Germany and France
decided that prudence was the better part of valor, and those two
nations declined to have their navies blown out of salt water by the
combined navies of England and America.
If, as above evidenced, Europe regarded America in 1898 with feelings
of envy and malice, imagine then the European condition of mind towards
the great American Republic in 1999 when it contained a population of
over 500,000,000 citizens, inclusive of a territory that represented
nearly one-fourth of the habitable globe.
European nations in the twentieth century (always excepting Great
Britain) would have been very glad, at any time, to attack and humble
America, but so great was the power of our noble Republic in that
era that even the combined assaults of the world could not have
accomplished this feat.
As a natural consequence of this unfriendly feeling on the part
of Europe, which grew in strength as time rolled on, America in
the twentieth century withdrew from the International Court of
Arbitration. America became big enough, strong and willing enough to
take care of herself. In other words, throughout the twentieth century,
Uncle Sam ran his own ranch and had things pretty much his own way.