"that all disputes between them, OF EVERY NATURE WHATSOEVER," shall be referred for investigation and report to a permanent international commission.

They agree not to begin hostilities until this commission has made its report.

That is the gist of the matter. worth the paper it is written on disputes are to be arbitrated.

No treaty is unless ALL So long as

there is a loophole for questions of HONOR just so long will nations have an excuse to continue the abhorrent practice of militarism.

Rulers of the world, you must get together and lay down your arms or you will perish by your own obstinacy.

Only so will the intolerable burden of military preparedness be lifted from the backs of the world's workers.

Only so will the menace of Armageddon, brought on by Chauvinistic madness, be removed.

No permanent peace is possible by preponderance of arms. Peace will come only by unity, the triumph of intelligence over mediævalism.

And quietly but surely the United States of America is laying the foundation of the new programme, the Federation of the World. Thursday, August 13, 1914.

THE CAUSELESS WAR

THERE have been wars and wars in the history of the world, and most of them have had a reason.

But the present European war has two marked characteristics. First, it bids fair to be the most extensive and the most destructive war ever known.

Second, IT IS ALL ABOUT NOTHING AT ALL.

It is the outflaming of a gunpowder magazine, into which some careless one has dropped a match.

It is as causeless as a free fight among drunken loafers in a mining camp.

Not one of the emperors, diplomats, historians, editors, nor any other learned or high placed man is able to allege any cause which is not absurdly insufficient for so great a combat.

There have been wars of religion, as between Jew and Philistine, Turk and Christian, Protestant and Catholic; and if these

were reprehensible they were at least understandable.

There have been wars of conquest, landlust, empire-lust; but in this war no nation seeks the territory of another; when peace comes, no matter who whips, the size of states will remain about the same. Germany could not possibly annex Russia nor France, because she would have no use for them, and couldn't assimilate in ten generations what she had swallowed.

There have been race wars, Greek against Barbarian, Rome against Carthage, Russ against Turk, England against France, one Indian tribe against another. But here English, French, and Russian are commingled on one side, and German and the variegated nationalities of Austria on the other.

There have been rebellions, as in our own wars of independence and of secession, as in the present Mexican imbroglio; but in Europe no people is endeavoring to throw off the yoke of its masters, nor of an alien people.

Germany, Austria, Russia, England, and France have sprung into the arena, each screaming out that the other fellow began it, each loaded down with arms and troops, yet claiming a desire only to keep the peace. They all solemnly swear they are on the

defensive; and they are all trying to strike the first offensive blow.

When the Franco-German war of 1870 was over, the treaty of peace contained not one allusion to the issue over which it was supposed to be fought.

If God were to appear suddenly and say, "Stop! Tell me what it's all about," there would be a riotous clamor of vociferations, but when compelled to state calmly what they were fighting over no two of them could agree upon an issue that was not ridiculous.

Finally, I note that little Montenegro has butted in. Which reminds me of the Irishman who saw several men fighting as he entered a saloon. Going up to the barkeeper, he asked: "Excuse me, but is this a private fight, or can any one come in?"

Friday, August 14, 1914.

JUST SUPPOSE

JUST suppose, for instance, just only suppose, that one of the European nations had been big enough, wise enough, and brave enough to act the gentleman and the Christian.

That is, suppose France, a highly intellectual and idealistic country, had laid down its arms, abandoned its fortifications, reduced its navy to police proportions, twenty years ago.

Suppose it had said to Germany, "Our race feud is foolish and wicked. It does neither of us any good. Really, we think a lot of you German people, and are anxious to trade with you, to compete with you in art and literature, and to co-operate with you generally to our mutual profit. Loading ourselves down with guns not only burdens us financially but creates a condition where trivial misunderstandings may easily cause war. Hence we disarm. We will trust to the justice and good sense of the German people. We propose to be a peaceable neighbor to you."

Do you think Germany then would have