“I said international warfare was abolished.” he returned. “After Russia had taken possession of Asia and settled its ownership, and Africa had been divided up amongst the western European nations, the governments of all nations were civilized. The regulation of such barbarous subjects as they might be responsible for, was simply a question of policing, not war. An insurrection by them could not succeed against the destructive weapons held by the government. But as international affairs are now settled, there is no excuse for any responsible body of men to resort to force. The principle of arbitration first adopted between the United States and Great Britain was subsequently extended to all civilized nations. Later there was framed for the guidance of Arbitrators of international questions, an international constitution or law of nations agreed to by treaty between the principal nations and finally ratified by all. This constitution described the boundaries of all nations, which it was agreed were not to be disturbed except on consent of all the parties concerned, thus doing away with wars for conquest. “A criminal code was enacted, by which all crimes between subjects of different nations were to be tried, and an international court was established, composed of Judges from every nation. When a suit is brought before this court, those judges appointed by the nations parties to the suit, are excused from serving, and the case is tried by the others. Questions of damages by one nation and its decrees when finally reached are acquiesced in without hesitation, because it is keenly recognized that any settlement even when not entirely satisfactory, is preferable to war. In fact war is not recognized as a practical method of settling anything.” “If war is at an end, what have the European Nations done with their great armies,” I inquired. “In my day most of the surplus wealth of those nations went to support their vast armies, and the masses of the industrial classes were kept in poverty, because their earnings were so largely diverted to that purpose. And yet there appeared to be too many workers, for their wages were very low. If the soldiers were set to work at peaceful occupations and married and raised families, the population must have increased and the wages gone still lower. How was that?”