The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-18
SECRETARY OF WAR
PRESIDING OFFICER
Approaching Meeting Calls At
tention to the Great Ad-
vances Made by Those Who
Would End Wars.
BY Edwin o. Mead.

national peace congress in Chicago the
1st of May directs special attention 10
the great international and national
peace congresses that have preceded It
and whose noteworthy purposes and
achievements it will advance degree
further.
The first peace society in America,
or in the world. was founded in New
York by David Low Dodge and his as
sociates in August, 1915. The Massa-
chusetts Peace Society, which owed its
initiative to Noah Worcester. was or
ganized in DR.. Channing's study in
Boston Christmas week Of the same
year. The London society was organ
ICED the same year; and from that time
on peace societies multiplied.
But almost generation passed be
fore the Inauguration OF peace con-
crosses. The first international peace
congress was held in London In 1913.
Il was the thought of the British phi
lanthropist. Joseph Surge, the friend
of Garrison, Whittier and other Amel-
lean anti-slavery leaders. and was first
preached by him in 1871 to members OF
the American Peace Society in Boston.
Brought to London Congress.
Our American society warmly Indoors
ed it and commended it to the English
society, and through the cooperation
of the two the memorable London co.,
gress was brought about. 1t was al
most exclusively a British and Ameri-
can congress o294 Of the 337 delegates
IRON Great Britain; thirtw seven from
america and six from the continent OF
tEurope.
Perhaps the most important practfc-
III proposition considered at this first
congress was that of Judge William
Jay OF New York, president Of the
American Peace Society during the de.
cade in which the historic peace con,
crosses in Europe in the middle of the
last century occurred, that an arbitra-
ton clause should be embodied in all
future commercial treaties between the
great powers.
At the four subsequent congresses
the American representatives stood
pre-eminently for the demand for q
congress of nations. which should de-
velop and codify international law and
create an international tribunal: and
this constructive programme which our
own day at last is seeing realized. was
popularity spoken of in Europe through
out the decade as the American plan.
Credit Due Elihu surritt.
Il was an American, Elihu Burritt
who was the chief inspiring and shap
ing force for the Brussels congress In
184s. followed by the great congresses
Of Paris. Frankfort and London. IN
l840, 1850 and 1851. At both Paris
and Frankfort there were more than
twenty delegates. at London more than
sixty. The Paris congress. over which
Victor Hugo presided, and the London
congress, held In the year OF the first
International exposition and havins
more than q thousand delegates from
England acne, we're immense and most
impressive gatherings, and In them the
peace movement of the last century
reached its highest point.
They were followed by two import
ant British congresses at Mancheste;
and Edinburgh, and then came the Chi
mean war and the other great wars OF
that period. and there was long inter.
regnum.
First OF Present Series in 1889.
The first of the present series of the
International Peace Congresses was
held at Paris in 1850. the year of the
Paris Exposition. Frederic Passy was
its president, and the number of dele.
gates in attendance was almost the
7 fr
1913.
The second congress met the next
year In London. Hon. David Dudley
Field, Of New York. serving as its pres
ident. The subsequent congresses
have been at Rome. Berne, Chicago Tin
1898. Antwerp. Budapest. Hamburg
Paris. Glasgow, Monaco, Rouen. Bos-
ton. Lncerne. Milan. Munich and Lon
don. The Chicago congress of 1S93
held In connection with the great ex-
position. was q memorable meeting
and will be remembered by many.
OF all these International Congresses
that In Boston In 1904. had the larges.
attendance. its impressive feature be-
ing series Of great mass meetings for
the people. One Of its results was an
American delegation Of over fifty Al
the Lucerne congress the following
year, I number five times Ms great az
that which has usually attended the
congresses In Europe during these
twenty years
Many Americana at Munich.
At the Munich congress in 1907,
there was also q strong American
delegation. and our representation q
London last summer was the largest
We have ever sent to peace con.
gress In Europe. It 10 earnestly hoped
that an American delegation 10 large
or larger win be present at the con.
gross this year. which ID to meet IN
stockholm the Arst week q Septem.
Der.
There should especially be large
6candinAvian contingent Our Amer.
1can defsens e soanAinesiaa birth m