The Detroit times., 1910-06-10
CARMEGIE's PEACE
TALK|NC0Ns|sTENT
w. T. Stead Criticises the Great Lon
don Pacific Convention as
Aggravating.


never attend peace meeting with
GU becoming bellicose? The cause or
Leace Is one OF the hottest In the
world. l have devoted many years
OF my life TO It's advocacy In many
lands. Yet | never listen TO the
speeches at conventional peace meet
ings without feeling stirred into fierce
revolt against peace societies ana
peace orators. says VIM. T. Stead In
cable To the New York American.
The peace meeting at the Guildhall
One OF the biggest held In the City
OF London--is a case In point. The
bishop Of Hereford was In the chair
and your Andrew Carnegie was the
chief speaker.
The Guildhall was crowded. II Is
famous hall, built by citizens who
thought the best way TO show their
love Of peace was to adorn II with
monuments to the honor OF the Duke
OF Wellington and Lord Nelson. Over
the door hung the flag of the City or
London Volunteers who went out TO
Africa TO fight the Beers.
Mr.. carnegie's Inconsistency.
Mr.. Carnegie, who was In his usual
gleeful mood, babe US all be OF good
cheer. for the day was coming when
the killing OF man would be regarded
as barbarism incompatible with
civilization. To settle disputes by
slaughter was worthy only OF wild
beasts and savages. And SO forth and
co .orth-sentiments which were duti-
fully applauded by his sympathetic
audience.
But by curious inconsistency, NJ.
Carnegie devoted the only practical
part OF his speech to an argument IN
favor OF the formation of a League OF
Peace. the members OF which were TO
prevent any nations going TO war. by
force, II necessary.
He looked forward TO the day when
the nineteen American Republics
would band themselves together 10
compel any two of their number TO al
stain from war. | longed 10 stand up
and ask Mr., Carnegie whether, II In
dependent sovereign states are 10 be
compelled by force to keep the peace. :
how the necessary force was to be APP
piled except by the use OF those
methods OF slaughter which he had
just been denouncing as incompatible
with civilization and worthy only OF
But | refrained. not wishing to con-
vert peace meeting into a beer gar
den.
One feature OF all the speeches was
the eulogizing OF King Edward as the
greatest OF peace-makers. Speaker az
ter speaker harped upon the services
| the late king had rendered TO peace.
And then with one consent they wect
M m oh h. hstu1 xf
noughts which King Edward himself
always regarded as absolutely indis-
pensable to the success OF his pacific
policy.
A laborer's Argument.
labor member OF parliament, Ram
say Macdonald. made one Of the most
fatuous speeches from a peace poin,
OF view that | ever heard. He pro-
claimed that we could not stand the
strain OF the continual increase .:
ornaments, which Is the one argu-
ment the War Party In Germany coz
stantly. uses when appealing 10 Ger
mans 10 spend more and ever more
millions on the navy.
England is weakening. they say; sho
will soon have TO throw up the sponge.
Let Us keep on a little longer and the
game Will be In our own hands.
| or course, Mr.. Macdonalds asser.
tior is untrue. John Bull will spend
his last penny before he consents To
lose the sovereignty OF the seas witch
Is for him a matter OF life and death.
But more remains behind For Mr..
Macdonald went on to say that as We
would be unable to bear the strain,
We should before long be compelled TO
declare war upon the power whose in
creased ornaments threatened our
security.
| Lord Shaw quoted some appalling
figures as to the growth Of the cost OF
ornaments In the five nations-Ge:-
many. France. Russia. England and
the United States. They have gone
up 20 per cent In the last ten years
and next year will reach a daily ex-
perditurc Of million pounds sterling
| But instead of indicating how this
ruinCus expenditure Is TO be stopped.
he went on to eulogize the supreme
court at Washington and the Judicial
Committee OF the Privy Council In
London. which between them adjudi-
cate as final courts OF appeal all dis
putes arising among one-quarter OF
the human race
hut ne calmly ignored the fact that
neither the supreme court nor the
! judicial committee would be able to
keep the peace were II not that be-
hind them stand the whole military
and nava. force OF the republic and
the empire.