The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-08-31
GEAR TAKES 4 STEP TOWARD PEACE.
POWERS APPEALED TO.
emperor Nicholas Proposes That Reduction Ia Armed
Isfsss b nsds-oost Of War Rstsrds
PrsspsrIty-A cssfsrsnss Called.

by order or Emperor Nicholas.
unit Muravieff. the foreign minister,
on the 18th Inst. handed to the foreign
diplomats at st. Petersburg a note de-
caring that the maintenance of peace
ana the reduction of the excessive
aimaments now crushing all nations is
the ideal for which all governments
ought to strive.
The car considers the present mo-
nlent favorable Tor the Inauguration
oi movement looking to this end,
ana invites the powers to take part in
an international conference asa I'M, ans
OF thus insuring reel and lasting psace
ana terminating the progressive in
crease of armament
The czar's proposition for an inter-
national conference for the purpose of
securing real and lasting peace among
the powers and the termination of the
progressive increase I'm armaments Is
nkely 10 produce sensation through
out Europe, and, coming from such a
quarter and with such evident SINGER
ity of purpose, IT is likely to have i'm
portant effects.
There is no doubt that with Russia
taking the lead in such a step, Ger
many, France and the other nations
will be ready to follow.
The text of the note follows:
The maintenance of general peace
and the possible reduction OF the ex-
cessive armaments which weigh upon
all nations present themselves I'm ex-
isting conditions to the whcle world as
an ideal toward which the endeavors
of all governments should be directed
international discussion is the most
effectual means of insuring all peo-
pies bencflt-a real durable peace:
above ALL putting an end to the pro-
gressive development of the pres ant
armaments.
I'm the course of the last twenty
years the longing for general appease-
men has grown especially pronounced
In the consciences of civi lied nations;
and the preservation Of peace has been
put forward as an object of interna-
tional policy. 1t Is In it's name that
great states have concluded among
themselves powerful alliances.
1T is the better to guarantee peace
that they have developed In proper
tions hitherto unprecedented their
military forces and still continue to in
crease them without shrinking from
any sacrifice.
Nevertheless all these efforts have
not yet been able to bring about the
beneflcent result Observation-Disclosures
"The financial charges following the
Upward march strike at the very root
OF public prosperity. The intel l.ectual
and physical strength of the nations
labor and capital are mostly diverted
fl ON their natural application and are
unproductively consumed. Hundreds
of millions are devoted to acquiring
terrible engines of destruction which
though to-day regarded as the last
work of science, are destined to- NOR
row to lose all their value in conse-
quence of some fresh discovery in the
same field. National culture. econ
cmic progress and the production of
wealth are either paralyZed or checked
in development.
1T appears evident that If this state
of things were to be prolonged IL
would inevitably lead to the very
cataclysm 1t is desired to avert and
the horrors whereof make every think
ing being shudder in advance.
TO put an end to these incassant
armaments and to seek the means of
warding off the calamitios which are
threatening the whole world-such is
the supreme duty to-day imposed up
on all states.
FILLED with this idea, his majesty
has been pleased to command me to
propose to all the governments whose
representatives are accredited to the
imrer court, the assembling of
conference which shall occupy itself
with this grave problem.
This conference will be, by the hep
of God, a happy presage for the CEN
tury which Is about to open. 1t would
converge into one powerful focus the
efforts OF all states sincerely seeking
to make the great conception of uni
versal peace triumph over the ele-
ments of trouble ami discord and 1t
agreement by corporate conservation
of the principles of equity and right,
whereon rest the security or states
and the welfare of peoples