The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-17
MAY Be INVITED
TO UNITED STATES
Plan for Gathering Of Members
Of All Parliaments of the
World.
GREAT FEDERATION SCHEME.
.Woman's Franchise Debate Is
Leading Political Topic
of Week.
GREAT FEDERATION SCHEME
DY WILLIAM r. STEAD.
Especial Gable TO Tho Times. p,.p.tch.

Especial Gable to Tho Times Dispatch.l
London, July 16.--I went down to
the House OF Commons to discuss with
members the grandiose proposal of the
New York American, made on July G,
that all the members of all the Par
liaments Of all the world should be-
invited to New York In 1913.
found all those to whom I COM
, municated the idea much impressed
with the imposing splendor OF the
proposal. and delighted that such an
audacious attempt should be made to
hasten the coming federation OF the
world
But various practical diff1culties
were pointed out. 1t would be im-
possible for such pan-Parliament
to assemble except in the autumn.
September would be the first month
that English and European legisla-
tors could arrive in America, and that
would be late for the tercentenary OF
the founding OF New York IL the
gathering were to be regarded as
substitute for worlds fair.
Then again, it was pointed out that
such a gathering Is not necessary for
giving legislative sanction and au-
thority to the establishment of an in
ternational arbitral court. The Hague
Conference decreed the establishment
of such a court as soon as the powers
could agree as to how the Judges
should be appointed
Mr.. Secretary Knox made much
progress. in securing the assent OF
the powers to the conversion Of the
prize court into an International court
of arbitral justice. 1t is expected this
will be accomplished before 1913, in
| which case there would no longer be
any need OF a pan-Parliament to legis-
late 1T into existence.
Doubts OF European Consent.
The third objection is that Euro.
pean governments would never agree
10 accept the decision OF such an as
sembly of members of parliament as
| binding upon them. Imagine the Gear
or the Kaiser consenting to allow the
Duma or the Reichstag to decide by
| their votes so momentous question
| of International policy as that which
it is proposed to settle by the New
| York gathering.
| Then again. 1t is idle to suppose
that anything can be done in the way
| of the reduction of ornaments until
| the arbitral court has got into work
| ing order and has won the confidence
4 of nations. Tho experience, OF The
| Hague Conference proved that moth
| ing can be done in reducing arma.
| ments till the world has made further
|
| WHAT Is possible Is that an inter-
! parliamentary conference may meet in
| New York. as i. has already met In
| Washington.
An international conference OF
Chambers Of Commerce will, / believe
meet there. and the Peace Congress
| of Pacificists, which meets In 1910 In
Stockholm. may meet in New York
| 1t is also possible you might secure
i n org arin nf al a on
trail American Congresses to decree
| the federation of the Western Hemis-
phere.
But the general opinion at St.
Stephens was that you will pipe in
vain to the European Legislatures to
transfer themselves en- bloc to Amer
4 lean soil to decree the formation OF
tho United States of the World.
Il A New Federation Scheme.
Just before leaving my office for
Westminster the Rev. Timothy Rich
ard, late of Pekin, called in, brimful
of enthusiasm for his particular no.
ton of decorating the world. His idea
is that the great world powers should
band them selves together In peace
league to settle alp their disputes by
| arbitration and compel the submission
!. of the disputes of all other nations to
this tribunal of international justice.
He assured me that he had the per-
sonal assurance of the rulers of China
4 that they would welcome such a
| league, and that influential statesmen
/ of Japan and the Ottoman Empire
! had pledged themselves to do their
utmost to carry out the idea. The
Chinese ambassador IN London has
/ Just given him a renewed assurance
1 or China's readiness to form one Of
the peace leagues.
/ hear from good source that tho
Russo-Jap treaty will be followed
shortly by g. Russo-Jap alliance. Tho
new grouping of the powers lately ar
raigned against each other on the
battlefield is largely due to resent.
ment aroused by the unfortunate pre-
plunged into Manchurian politics. No
doubt he was misled by M Kokeseff's
offer to sell the Russian Manchurian
Il limo. which was made without the
knowledge or consent Of the Foreign
Office. Had Knox confined himself to
accepting Kokeseffs offer he would
have put the Russian government In
pretty fix. But Instead OF doing this
| he based upon 1t his grandiose' scheme,
and incidentally revealed to Russia
Il the fact that he had been previously
engaged in secret negotiations with
Japan for the construction OF the
Aigun Railway
Mnnchurinn Door Bolted.
When that fact came out all tho
fat was in the fire and the Man
ohurian door is now bolted, barred
and double-locked against what other
powers regard as American aggres
sion.
Lord Grey sailed for Canada Friday
He has been one OF the most success
full Of our Governor Generals. and HIS
Canadian experience has convinced
him that homo rule Is Inevitable. Bal.
four, however, Is hard to convince OF
the necessity Of Federal solution OF
the constitutional crisis.
The great political topic OF the week
has been the debate on the woman's
franchise. The Bill was supported for
opposite reasons bv Tories and Rad.
icals. The unionlsts believed that by
enfranehising million spinsters and
widows they would raise a barrier
against adult suffrage. The Radicals
Il believed that cnfranchisement OF
spinsters would Immediately pave the
H way to the enfranchlsement of wives.