Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-19
BY Charles w. penrose.

| which We're held from July "a to Aug.
| !, 1908, and presided over by Lord
| Courtney who with Lady Courtney
attended great number OF the sit
tings. DR.. J 6. Alexander acted as
chairman In the absence of the presi-
dent, and Interpreters were provided
SO tne proceedings could be given IN
English, French and German. This
made them somewhat tedious, but was
necessary that all present could under
stand what was transacted. Delegates
| We're present from all the principal ma
IONS OF the world The United states
had a strong delegation chiefly from
tne Eastern states, and Utah figured
| HS state organization in union with
the Peace society Of the nation Ia
delegates were welcomed with marked
respect They We're G. w. Penrose,
VIM. a. Morton and Sopcn Peterson.
Bishop f. 5. Spalding was appointed
ana enrolled as delegate. but being
engaged with the Conference of Bish-
OPS az Lambeth Palace was unable to
attend the sessions of the congress.
The American delegates met every dav
| In organized committee and came to a
mutual understanding on the subjects
presented to the congress. Prominent
among that delegation were Dr. True
pIoou OF massachusetts, and Mr. and
Mrs' Edwin d. Mead Of Boston. all old
ana active members of the Peace So
clety Of the United States Mrs Belva
a: lockwood, an old and valued friend
OF Utah. and Mrs. Clara b. Colby. edi-
tor OF the Woman's Tribune also n
friend of our people, We're active in the
American delegation.
Inc purpose. object and efforts of the
people composing this important con-
sresS are admirable, and are aimed at
u hlgh and grand achievement To
apollsh war and establish peace in all
the world form a mighty Incentive to
enllshtened action All who are en-
gagged IN the work can unite as to its
deslrabillty and necessity. How to bring
ABOUT the great result is a complex
plopIein. various methods are pro-
posed by diiferent persons and societies
| and theorists from all quarters have
thelr plans to suggest and arguments
10 present. Opportunity to a number
Oh them was given in the congress. The
program, however was prepared before
the proceedings We're opened Sub
Iects were chosen, and the principal
speakers upon them selected Precon-
sultative commissions Tor committees)
We're organized from whom the chief
topics were to emanate and thus the
Whole matter was outlined Discuss
SONS upon these subjects were permit
ted In brief speeches, and the old adage.
Many men, many minds" received
loIclpie Illustration. The debates were
sometimes very animated and vehe
ment. and emphasized by voice and
gesture indicating great earnestness
ana profound conviction. But after
hluch division of opinion on many
points unity on the resolutions intro
uuCed was generally arrived at.
me chlet questions introduced were
t ,t relatlng to international law; lin
ilatlohs or ornaments. International cd
ucation; propaganda in universities
among religious bodies in workmen's
organizations and in schools: appeal IN
nations for peaceful solution of differ.
ences. Each of these hranched off into
sac ISSUES. but connected with the
man questions. How to reach the gov
U,Ii'let,.s OF the world to bring to bear
upon tnem such pressure and infIuenra
as would result in the accomplishment
Oh the ends in view. was not very salts
Iactoflly explained. Thus the work of
me congress was not strikingly of
practical character for the delegates
We're not representatives of national
governments but merely of societies
| organized by people in a. private cana
| CITY, and capable only of using a pacific
| HHluence as citizens of the communities
| In which they reside
/ some Of the propositions STRONGLY
urged and vehemently applauded were
vi most lmpracticable character. One
was mat the coal mining organizations
| among laboring people should enter in
TO combination, under posjtlve
| pledges to strike and refuse TO pro-
uuCe any coal as soon as war was pro-
| claimed so that the navies of the con-
tending nations would have no coal
supply and therefore could not proceed
20 naxal warfare Another was that
| olhdlng agreement should be entered
| INTO among all men subject to militarv
| duty, 10 refuse to engage i'm active scr,
| vice In case of war unless II were
| TO defend home and country The lat
| ter part of this resolution was re-
celVed in the form of an amendment to
| the former. 1t was also proposed that
| THIS determination not TO fight I'm army
| or navy should be taught in the schools
colleges and universities so that the
spirit of war should be quelled. and
| spirit of peace promoted. Several
| other propositions of a similar inn
| practical character were presented and
| discussed. The wrong of privateering
was exposed and resolutions passed
! against 1t for the purpose of prevail
| ing upon nations at war not to per-
init the destruction of private prop
| erty ON the sea, any more than they
| would countance looting on the land.
| The evils of mllitarism were elo-
| quently and wildly depicted, and many
| OF the speeches against IL reminded
| one forclbly of articles I'm the Deserct
| News which have appeared for some
| years past, showing the folly and eX-
| traVagance OF sustaining and increas-
| ing the forces and ornaments OF tho
| great powers, and the wisdom Of re-
| ducing instead of increasing them, in
| the interest of economy and Of peace,
The sentiments expressed were uni-
| varsally endorsed. as indeed they ought
| to be everywhere. The lavish eXpen-
diture for the purpose OF maintaining
| the great standing armies and navies
| OF the world was shown to be not only
oppressive upon the taxpayers ana la
| boring masses, but positively absurd
among civilized pcoples who could and
should resort 10 arbitration instead OF
bloodshed for the settlement OF their
disputes, one strong point was dwelt
upon as something that was not pos
| slble, hui probable of achievement.
That was to bring governments of the
respective nations to a halt, to resolve
! not 10 increase military or naval forces,
! nor the volume of ornaments. II was
! argued that this would be a rational
| step for those governments TO take,
! and would form n beginning 70 tho
work of the reduction OF those forces
| and munitions of war moving In the
| direction OF their ultimate abolition.
| To effect this, appeals we're To be MADE
| 10 those governments of an urgent
| character which il is believed would
influence great minds, among states
mon. and aid I'm the general movement
towards universal pcace.
The progress OF the principle of ar
Rot