The Hokitika Guardian FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1023. A UTOPIAN PROPOSAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1923, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1023. A UTOPIAN PROPOSAL.

A novel proposal to outlaw war and war-monger.- bus been made bv Senator W. U. Borah ill a re-oiutinu tabled in the United States Senate recently. His suggestion i- that war should be outlawed by means of international agreements, under which each nation would unite in condemning war as a dui•lie- cjime. and would ngroe to in.

diet and punish its own war breeders and instigators and war profiteers. His resolution also calls for the establishment cf a World Court to make this peace code effective and to settle international disputes. That, he is thoroughly in earnest about the matter is shown by tile fact that lie is planning a, trip to Europe this summer, with a view to putting his scheme before the different peoples, and that lie also intends to stump tin l United States in the effort to convince the American people that bis plan is the only practicable method of ensuiing peace. His appeal will la' made to the peoples themselves rather than to the politicians. '‘Statesmen and diplomats," he stated in an interview, “will scoff at the plan, but if I can get the ear of the people who have to die in war and pay for war" I believe » great public sentiment in favour of the idea can be stirred up.” There is undoubtedly something in the suggestion. It has long been felt by all true friends of pence that it is quite time that sometiling was done to put a stop to the world-incendiarism of the war-mongo-s of whom, unfortunately, every nation has its share. A Howard step ill this direction is, indeed long overdue. If is well that, in tho first place, each nation should he pledged to deal with its own war-breeders and war-pro-fiteers; but it is very certain that a World Court, or a World Council would also be necessary to keep the different- nations to the mark and see that they carried out vigorously and effectively the indicting and the punishment of all instigators of war and all who seek to profit by war. Another suggestion that lias been made in this connection is that the nations should unite to prohibit sternly the building of armaments and the manufacture of munitions bv private firms, thus restricting as far as possible the field within which war-profit-eering can take place. This suggestion, also, is well worthy of consideration. Possibly Senator Borah regards the great armament firms and the munition manufacturer!; as amongst the very worst of the “war-breeders, and instigators and war-profiteers." whom he would have the nations indict and punish. Wo trust that ho will carry out to the full his plan of campaign for arousing the world to tho imperative need for outlawing war and the war-mongers: and especially that he will very thoroughly stump the United States in advocacy of this policy. Such a campaign could not lie altogether without effect in awakening the people of America to tho urgent need for an International Court of Justice and a World Council, in which representatives of the various nations can meet: together to discuss calmly and sandy tho great international problems—economic and social. medical and educational, as well as political—that call so loudly for solution. Once America is awakened to these needs, she may also become alive to the fact that the League of Nations has set up an International Court of Justice, and that the League of Nations also provides a World Council of the type referred to a World Council, which has already averted two or three wars, and has besides done splendid sen ice to humanity by its campaign against typhus in the Near East, by its faminefight mg in Russia, and by its great reconst ruction work in Austria. My joining the League of Nations. America could do more to outlaw war. more to secure lasting peace and prosperity for herself and the world at largo, than by any other means.