A FEW LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE BALKAN WAR - By ALFRED H. FRIED - The Necessity for Striking a Balance

Sep 21, 2026

Monthly publication issue from the American Association for International Conciliation featuring Alfred H. Fried’s article “A FEW LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE BALKAN WAR”. The text argues for striking a balance after the Balkan war, exposing fallacies and war propaganda while urging peace advocates to study war’s technical and social lessons. It rejects framing the conflict as a crusade, describing it as predatory raids that shift oppressors, then questions war’s supposed naturalness through examples of extortion and criminal-state conduct.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

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THE NECESSITY FOR STRIKING A BALANCE.

NoT A CRUSADE,BUT A RAID.

Is WAR A NATURAL PHENOMENON?

"FoREIGN WARS" No LoNGER ExIST.

Pm949.1 | INTERNATIONAL CONCILIATION
Published monthly by the
Ameriean AB₉ociation for International Coneiliation.
Entered n₈_Becond class matter at New York,N.Y.
Postofice,February 23.1909,under act of July 16,1894 | | --- | | A FEW LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE
BALKAN WAR
PRO
PATRIA
ORBIS
CONCORDIAM
By
ALFRED H.FRIED
JANUARY,1914,No.74 | | American Association for International Conciliation
Sub-station 84(407 West 117th Street)
New York City | LYMAN ABBOTT,NEw YoRK.CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS,BoSTON. EDWIN A.ALDERMAN,CEARLOTTESVILLE,VA.RoBERT BACON,NEW YoRK. RICHARD BARTHOLDT,ST.LoUIs,Mo.GEORGE BLUMENTHAL,NEW YoRK.CLIFTON R.BRECKENRIDGE,FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS. WILLIAM J.BRYAN,LINCOLN,NEB.T.E.BURTON,CLEVELAND,OHIO.NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER,NEw YORE.ANDREW CARNEGIE,NEW YORK,EDWARD CARY,NEW YORK.JoSEPH H.CEOATE,NEw YoRE.RICHARD H.DANA,BoSTON,MASS.ARTHUR L.DASHER,MACON,GA.HORACE E.DEMING,NEw YORK.CHARLES W.ELIOT,CAMBRIDGE,MASS.JOEN W.FOSTER,WASHINCTON,D.C.ROBERT A.FRANKS,ORANGE,N.J.ROBERT GARRETT,BALTIMORE,MD.JOHN ARTHUR GREENE,NEw YoRE.JAMES M.GREENwooD,KANSAS CITY,Mo.FRANKLIN_H.HEAD,CHICAGo,ILL.WILLIAM J.HoLLAND,PITTSBURGH,PA.HAMILTON HoLT,NEW YORK. DAVID STARR JoRDAN,STANFORD UNIVERSITY,CAL. J.H.KIRKLAND,NASHVILLE,TENN,ADOLPH LEWISOHN,NEw YoRK.SETE Low,NEw YORK. COUNCIL OF DIRECTION OF THEAMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR INTERNATIONAL CONCILIATION CLARENCE H.MACKAY,NEw YORR. THEODORE MARBURG,BRUSSELS,BELGrOM..BRANDER MATTHEws,NEw YORK.SILAS McBEE,NEw YORK. GEORGE B.MCCLELLAN,PRINCETON,N.J.ANDREW J.MONTAGUE,RICHMOND,VA.W.W.MORROw,SAN FRANCISco,CAL.LEVI P.MoRTON,NEw YoRK,STEPEEN H.OLIN,NEW YORK.HENRY S.PRITCHETT,NEw YORK. A.V.V.RAYMOND,BUFFALO,N.Y.IRA REMSEN,BALTIMORE,MD.JAMES FORDREODES,BOSTON,MASs.HoWARD J.ROGERS,ALBANY,N.Y.ELIHU RooT,WASHINGTON,D.C. J.G.SCHURMAN,ITEACA,N.Y. JAMES BROWN ScoTr,WASHINGTON.D.C.ISAAC N.SELIGMAN,NEw YoRK. F.J.V.SRIFF,CHICAGo,ILL.WILLIAM M.SLOANE,NEW YORK,JAMES SPEYER,NEwYORK.OSCAR S.STRAUS,NEw YORK. MRs.MARY WooD SwIFT,BERKELEY,CAL.GEORGE W.TAYLOR,DEMOPOLIS,ALA.O.H.TITTMAN,WASHINGTON,D.C.W.H.TOLMAN,NEw YORK. CEARLEMAGNETOWER,PHILADELPHIA,PA.BENJAMIN F.TRUEBLOOD,WASHINGTON.D.C.EDWARD TUCK,PARIS,FRANCE.GEORCE E.VnNCENT,MINNEAPOLIS,MINN.WILLIAM D.WHEELWRIGHT,PoRTLAND,OBE, # NOTE “Some Roads Towards Peace,President Charles W.Eliot's report of ob-servations and impressions in China and Japan during his visit to those countriesin behalf of the Carnegie Endowme t for International Peace,has been recentlypublished in pamphlet form and is a most interesting and authoritative descrip-tion of social,industrial and political conditions in these countries.The reportof 88 pages will be forwarded free of charge,upon application to the Secretary ofthe Carnegie Endowment,No.2 Jackson Place,Washington,D.C. Alfred H.Fried,Editor of Friedens-Warte,was born at Vienna in 1864.In recognition of his work in the cause of International Conciliation,Mr.Fried has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and has also received thehonorary degree of Doctor from the University of Leyden. # A FEW LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE BALKANWAR ## THE NECESSITY FOR STRIKING A BALANCE. The presentation of the facts furnished by the warwhich for a year devastated the Balkan Peninsula af-fords us a rare opportunity of exposing the greatfallacies of war and the still greater falsehoodspromulgated by the war enthusiasts. It behooves us,therefore,to strike a balance inorder to save from the awful wreckage something ofcultural value for future generations and to gather in-formation that will help to prevent wars in days tocome.At the present time all military experts are atwork endeavoring to apply for the benefit of their re-spective armies the technical lessons taught by thiswar.We,the advocates of peace,must pursue a sim-ilar course.War has long since ceased to be a purelymilitary event.On account of its incisive effect uponSociety we are obliged to ascertain wh

FAQs

Why does the author say peace advocates must strike a balance after the Balkan war?

To expose war’s fallacies and propaganda, preserve cultural value for future generations, and gather information that can help prevent future wars.

How does the author characterize the war’s official justification?

He argues it was not a crusade but a predatory expedition, with the conflict reflecting struggles over division of spoils and shifting oppression.

What claim does the author challenge about war being a natural phenomenon?

He disputes the idea that war is beyond human control, using examples of state actions framed as criminal extortion to show human responsibility.

Sep 21, 2026

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