The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-05-23
NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER
ON INTERNATIONAL PEACE.

ON INTERNATIONAL PEACE.
Lake Mohonk, May 23.-At the
meeting of the International Arbitra-
ton Conference held here yesterday,
President Nicholas Murray Butler, of
Columbia University, delivered the
following speech:
President Buffers Address
Unless all signs fail, we are enter
ing upon a period which may be de-
scribed fttingly as one of Information
alism. International development is a
happy augury for the international
era which is opening. Like an indivi-
dual, a nation has a mind and a con
science, n it mas them in every
sense. One of the chief problems OF
our time, is to bring the nations
minds and the nations consciences
to bear on the nor problems invol-
we'd in international relations. This
is a step in the mora education OF
the world. The more perfect and
complete morality of the future is it.
self Il be the product of the incom-
plete and imperfect. but always i'm
proving, morality of the past and OF
the present.
It is a mistake il history and an
error in ethics to apply the standards
and ideals of one period to the deeds
and accomplishments of an earlier
OllS lie dAAhA was Oil
a cruder being than he is today. More
over. the nations and the forms of
Government were olly in the waking
and there is no possible parallel WITH
present conditions. The crucial ques-
ton is not, will our standards and
ideals apply backward, but will they
not apply forward? Our political sys-
tens. our ethical standards, N our
moral aspirations. are a development
NoInU
The splendid accomplishment OF
his Conference during all the years
of its existence has been the arousing
and directing of public opinion. The
National Arbitration and Peace Con
gress in New York gave strong lmpe-
tus to his work. | feel il not too
much to say that that Congress, in a
single week, carried us forward quite
half a century toward the time when
higher conceptions Of rnatlo
Justice shall prevail. American public
opi1ion will gain in influence abroad
IL it's positive recommendations in re-
gard 10 the attainment of information
a Justice are both sagacious and
reasonable. We must avoid
Ing our program with non-essentials
and. we must not fail to observe a
due sense of proportion in. what we
recommend
Speaking for myself, 1 should Who'll
ly avoid at the present time the ques
ton of disarmament
will never come by pressure from
h a nation, but only by pres
sure from within. If justice is estab-
lished between nations will follow as
a matter of course. Disarmament VIII
follow peace, not precede H.
Yet while passing disarmament by,
we may profitably urge the wisdom
of formal international consideration
of the possibility of restricting the
further growth of the great armies
and navies of the world. without inn
pairing the efficiency of those that
exist.
From the forthcoming Hague Con
ference. we should ask, / think. CHIEF
ly two things, and if either of them
should be given us, a long step Tor
ward would be taken. We should ask
that the permanent Hague Court be
changed from a semi-diplomatic In
to a truly judicial tribunal n we
should ask tina the Hague Conference
now assembling for the second time
at the call of a monarch, be made to
assemble automatically. hereafter at
regular intervals. say once in four or
five years. n the stated re-assembl-
ing of The Hague" Conference lies
the germ of the International Parlia-
ment which will come into being.
There is another aspect of inter
relations in time of war
which not attracted h attention
it deserves. The suggestion thai neil
should extend to financial as
sistance has not been brought forward
by impracticable men,
One other matter Amer1-
cans alone. Each time an important
international conference occurs, the
power searches the coun-
try over for the most competent and
effective representatives of American
and of American opinion.
Wny should we not constitute a body
OF permanent representatives at
such international conferences out
of the distinguished men WHO. as
of h United States or
Secretary of State. have directed for
a time the foreign policy of the ma
ton? These experienced statesmen,
Officially constituted at international
conferences on behalf of the United
States. and in receipt of an appropri-
ate salary fixed by law, would bring
to their task both unusual equipment
unusual experience. Such use of
those who had rendered distinguished
to the nation as Chief Execu-
tive or as Secretary of Stae would be
In every respect fitting.
Every portent is favorable for the