Editorial January 28, 1905 Issue

"Not as the world giveth"

Archibald McLellan

The summary of a letter written by General Nogi, which recently appeared in the news columns of the daily press, presents a welcome break in the monotony of the dispatches which have previously chronicled the death of at least seventy-five thousand men in the siege of Port Arthur, for it indicates that the generous courtesy which should ever govern the actions of a brave man has survived the carnage of one of the most sanguinary campaigns in history. The press dispatch to which we refer is as follows:—

"Nagasaki, Japan, January 16.—General Nogi has writen to the governor here, commending General Stoessel to his consideration. Nogi points out that the former Russian commander at Port Arthur is now neither a prisoner nor an enemy, but a foreign gentleman who has meritoriously served his country."

Notwithstanding the credit due to the writer of this letter for his generous treatment of a vanquished foe, we must remember that war and the conditions entailed by it are not good, and no matter how chivalrous those who engage in war may be, nor with what courage they deport themselves, the entire system is wrong. It is but the perpetuation of the doctrine that "might makes right," which commenced with Cain and has continued throughout countless generations of mortals. So long as war is looked upon as glorious, and as being the final tribunal of nations, so long will it continue, but fortunately for the world there is evidence that the tide is turning. The great success achieved by the United States in its policy of negotiating arbitration treaties with the principal nations of the world, surely points to the coming of that reign of universal peace which the prophets foretold, and which must come at such time as the true concept of Jesus' teachings is attained.

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