ed force--the
police, the sheriff's posse, the national guard, the regulars--which
can be called out to enforce the laws. At present there is no similar
international force to call on, and I do not as yet see how it could
at present be created. Hitherto peace has often come only because some
strong and on the whole just power has by armed force, or the threat of
armed force, put a stop to disorder. In a very interesting French book
the other day I was reading how the Mediterranean was freed from pirates
only by the "pax Britannica," established by England's naval force. The
hopeless and hideous bloodshed and wickedness of Algiers and Turkestan
was stopped, and could only be stopped, when civilized nations in the
shape of Russia and France took possession of them. The same was true
of Burma and the Malay States, as well as Egypt, with regard to England.
Peace has come only as the sequel to the armed interference of a
civilized power which, relatively to its opponent, was a just and
beneficent power. If England had disarmed to the point of being unable
to conquer the Sudan and protect Egypt, so that the Mahdists had
established their supremacy in northeastern Africa, the result would
have been a horrible and bloody calamity to mankind. It was only the
growth of the European powers in military efficiency that freed eastern
Europe from the dreadful scourge of the Tartar and partially freed it
from the dreadful scourge of the Turk. Unjust war is dreadful; a just
war may be the highest duty. To have the best nations, the free and
civilized nations, disarm and leave the despotisms and barbarisms
with great military force, would be a calamity compared to which the
calamities caused by all the wars of the nineteenth century would be
trivial. Yet it is not easy to see how we can by international agreement
state exactly which power ceases to be free and civilized and which
comes near the line of barbarism or despotism. For example, I suppose
it would be very difficult to get Russia and Japan to come to a common
agreement on this point; and there are at least some citizens of other
nations, not to speak of their governments, whom it would also be hard
to get together.

This does not in the least mean that it is hopeless to make the effort.
It may be that some scheme will be developed. America, fortunately,
can cordially assist in such an effort, for no one in his senses would
suggest our disarmament; and though we should continue t