The Hague Tribunal and Armed Peace
If The Hague tribunal is to serve its appointed purpose as means of deliverance to the world from the evil of war, it would appear that it must not only be able to prevent actual military conflict, but must to a great degree at least eliminate the prospect and the fear of war which have so long incited the nations to make military preparations. For it is plainly evident that the burden of an armed peace such as exists in Europe to-day is slowly but surely crushing out the life of the people, so that the difference between war and peace is only a difference of methods by which life is taken, not the difference between destroying life and saving it. A recent letter to the London Daily News by Lord Avebury speaks forcibly on this subject as regards conditions in England. Recently a large delegation of wives of unemployed and starving workingmen of London waited on Premier Balfour, asking for relief, and in other large cities of England a similar situation has been brought before the attention of the authorities and of the nation by monster processions of unemployed workmen. Lord Avebury says:— The present position of Europe is certainly most grave, and gradually becoming worse. In our own case the naval and military expenditure has risen in ten years from £35,600,000 to £66,270,000—an increase of over £30,000,000—far more than that of Germany and France put together. Moreover we are told that our army is no stronger than it was five years ago, when the expenditure was £10,000,000 less than it is now. In that case, what has become of our £10,000,000? The pressure of the increase in our national expenditure is, moreover, aggravated by that of the rates. Under these circumstances we can not be surprised that pauperism is increasing, and that there is less employment for our people. Unless we reverse our policy, and reduce both rates and taxes, we have before us a fearful prospect; and if we neglect the counsels of prudence and economy, we shall be forced to retrench by the severe lessons of suffering and adversity. Moreover, in thus recklessly increasing our military and naval expenditure we incur a grave moral responsibility. If any other country had done as we have, we should justly complain that it was a menace to the peace of Europe.