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:

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.