Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-04
NATIONAL PEACE
CONGRESSOPENS
WITH ADDRESS
DR.. DAVID STARR JORDAN is
PRINCIPAL SPEAKER
NOTED sAVANTs APPEAL FOR
WORLD HARMONY
President of Stanford University
Makes Eloquent Plea for Disarm-
ament and Regeneration Of
the Nations
rBv Associated Press.l

,OIHIcAGo. May 3.-"Jeder Kreig Yerschs
4 ling INNER die besten"--(Ever the war
~ devours the best).
These words, written by the German
poet Schiller a century ago, formed
the theme of an address at the open
ing of the national peace congress here
today by David Starr Jordan, presi-
dent of Leland Stanford university.
ut is through selection that all race
progress eomes,'' said DR.. Jordan.
WAR means always the reversal of Sc
lection.
saThe survival OF the fttest in the
struggle for existence is the primal
moving cause of race progress and or
race changes. In the red stress OF nu-
man history this process of selection
is sometimes reversed.
"A reversal of selection is the begin
ming of degradation. 1t is degradation
itself.
"The only way in which any race as
a whole has improved has been
through the preservation of its best
The condition that favors this is de-
mocracy, equality before the law. the
condition which equaliZes opportunity
and gives each man the right to stand
or fall on the powers God has given
him.
hdCe DC9cuCTdtiou
"The only race degeneration ever
known is that produced by those forces
which destroy the best, leaving for the
fathers of the future those who could
not be used in the business of war or
colonization.
aThe effects Of emigration run par
allel with the effects of war, but with
this enormous difference-the strong
men who emigrate are not lost to the
80
gain of another But the losses IN war
can yield no corresponding gain.
"The warlilSe nation of today Is the
decadent nation of tomorrow. 1t has
ever been so. and in the nature OF
things it must ever be.
'"The republic of Rome lasted as long
as there were Romans, the republic or
America will last as long as its people
in blood and in spirit remain what we
have learned to call Americans
tSome power which the world will
heed must take the initiative in pro-
posing peace to the world" Robert
Treat Paine of Boston said in his
orening address. Continuing, he said:
1--WE meet here in Chicago in hopes
that Chicago will move the United
States to take this initiative, for whlch
the whole world waits.
Action Nobiy Audacious
"Action of this character has in it
a little noble audacity. When the
world was weary of the bloody hght
between Japan and Russia and at last
America made bold to intervene, re-
member how cordially the world ap-
proved and how this intervention was
sustained till at last 1t trlumPhed anu
peace triumphed over war PRESIDENT
Roosevelt felt the sympathy Of the
whole civilized world rally behind him
in its support.
"Eyea SO for long time the world
has condemned the mad policy OF
war outbreaks of actual war occur
vet ali. peoples are coming to condemn
the folly of perpetually increasing prep
arations.
.sThe cost of this annual burden is
bankrupting the nations and the wealth
of the world refuses any longer 10 pc
wasted
slSome nation, some power, must take
the initiative in proposing a scheme
by which peace may oanlsh war .,.t,
1.-THE second Hague conference, Win
it's glorious union of all the forty-four
nations on earth, could not quite agree
on the details of the supreme court or
nations drafted by Hon. James Brown
Scott, to whom was entrusted tnat
great task by our American deputa-
ton under the lead OF our own Joseph
H Choate. But this world scheme can
not long be delayed With the con-
currenoe and support of the powers Of
the world a scheme will soon be ready.
.'The next step should be to have
America speak up and ask the con-
currence of the world. How can the
men of peace induce America to lead?
This is the task and privilege of Chi
cago. Now let Chicago speak. Let the
future of Chicago be felt under a COM
pelling influence starting from this
great series of meetings; well may we
hone that Chicago will incite the power
of our nation boldly to take the iead
in inducing the nations of the world to
unite in a scheme of peace which shall
Danish war"