The record-union., 1896-04-06
APPEAL FOR ARBITRATION.
CATHOLIC CARDINALS ISSUE ONE
TO THE PEOPLE.
They Ask All to Cooperate in the For
nation of Public Opinion Which
Shall Demand Tribunal.

BALTIMORE, April 5.-His emin-
ence Cardinal Gibbons has given the
United Press an appeal signed by the
Americans, Irish and English Cardinals
in behalf of a permanent tribunal of
arbitration, with the view of creating
new guarantees of peace throughout
the world as a substitute for war.
The appeal is the result of joint
conference in which Cardinal Gibbons,
Cardinal Logue and Cardinal Vaughan
have for some time been engaged. The
conclusions arrived at by their emin-
enceS are as follows:
1--WE, the undersigned Cardinals, rep
resentatives of the Prince of Peace and
of the Catholic Church in our re-
spective countries, invite all who hear
our voice to cooperate in the forma-
ton of a public opinion which shall
demand the establishment of perma-
nent tribunal of arbitration as a ra-
| tional substitute among the English
speaking races for resort to the
bloody arbitrament of war.
I'VE are well aware that such a
project is beset with practical difficult
| ties. We believe that they will not
| prove to be insuperable if the desire
| to overcome them be- genuine and gen.
| eral. Such a court existed for CEN
turies when the nations of Christendom
were united in one faith. And have
| we not seen nations appeal to that
same court for its judgment in our own
| day? The establishment of a permanent
tribunal composed of trusted represen-
tatives of each sovereign alton. with
power to nominate judges and umpires
| according to the nature of the differ
ences that arise, and common accept
ance of general principles defining and
| limiting the jurisdiction and subject
| matter of such a tribunal, would be to
| create greater guarantees of peace that
| could not fail to influence the whole of
Chirstendom.
such an international court of arbi-
| tration would form a second line of
| defense, to be called into requsition
only after the ordinary results Of di-
plomacy had been exhausted. 1t would
| at least postpone the outbreak of hos
tilities until reason and common sense
had formally pronounced their last
word. This is a matter of which the
procedure must be settled by Govern
ments, but as Governments are becom-
! ing more and more moulded by the
aspirations of men, this appeal must
be addressed to the people.
I'VE wish to lift up our united voice
and proclaim to all who are ac-
customed to our councils that it is a
sign of a divine influence at work in
| their midst when nation shall not lift
| up sword against nation, neither shall
| they be exercised any more in war
| 0saiah H., A. For it was written of a
! future time Come ye and behold the
work of the Lord, what wonders He
hath done upon the earth, making
wars to cease even to the end of the
earth (Psalms iv., 49)
"Others may base their appeals upon
motives which touch your worldly in
terests. your prosperity. your world
wide influence and authority in the af-
| fairs of men. The Catholic Church
recognizes the legitimate force of such
motives in the natural order and
blesses whatever tends to the real pro-
| gress and elevation of the race But
our main ground of appeal rests upon
| the well-known character and will OF
| the Prince of Peace, the living founder
the divine power of Christendom. II
was He who declared that love for the
brotherhood is second commandment
| like unto the first 1t was He whe
announced to the people the praise and
reward of those who seek after peace
and pursue it. Blessed said He, are
the peacemakers. for they shall be
called the children of God (Matt. v, o.
We therefore earnestly invite all to
unite with us in pressing their convic-
tions and desires upon their respective
Governments by means of petitions and
such other measures as are eonstitu-
tional.
1 Signed: James Cardinal Gibbons
| Archbishop of Baltimore; Michae
Cardinal Loge, Archbishop of Ar
magh, Primate of All Ireland: Herber
Cardinal Vaughan, Archbishop O
Westminster"