Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-26
PEACE CONGRESS
HAS GREAT AIMS
Great Gathering Is Soon to Meet
at Stockholm and Plan
to Abolish War
MOVEMENT GAINING GROUND
Coming Deliberations TO Be Most
important in the History
of Organization
MOVEMENT GAINING GROUND


sress will meet at Stockholm July 30
August g. Though primarily con-
yention of delegates of the five hundred
and more peace societies now IN exist
ence, it will enroll representatives
from trade and labor associations,
churches, philanthropic societies, civic
clubs, educational and other instltu-
tions. $50
The peace congresses go back to 1S43,
when an international convention of
the friends of peace, promoted by the
American Peace society, was held IN
London This was three years after the
publication of William Ladd's Essay
on a Congress of Nations, work that
anticipated The Hague conferences
which the peace congresses of today
support other congresses followed
at Brussels in 1S4S, Paris In 1849.
Frankfort In 1850 and London in 1851.
Elihu Burritt, their inspiring genius,
pleaded for court and congress of
nations, together with code of inter-
national law.
In those congresses Richard Golden
and many British publicists took part.
Victor Hugo, who championed them
electrified the convention at Paris by
prophesying a federated world gov
erned by ballots and placed under the
arbitrament of a great sovereign SEN
ate. "a day will come" he said, when
a cannon will be exhibited in public
museums Just as an instrument of tor
ture is now, and people will be aston
ished how such thing. could have
been" Filled with the eloquent
speakers enthusiasm for humanity,
men in his audience embraced each
other, waved their hats and handker-
chiefs to him, and, led by Golden, gave
him rounds of hurrahs
HAS INTERESTING HISTORY
Organized peace work was seriously
interfered with for a whole genera
ton by the period of wars beginning
with the Crimean war in Europe and
the Civil war in America. Sentiment
for it revived, however, partly Is
reaction from these wars, and, under
the leadership of Hodgson Pratt of
England and Frederic Passy of France,
the latter of whom has received the
Nobel prize, the universal peace con-
crosses were resumed in Paris in 1889.
They have since been held nearly
every year in some Old World center,
but two of them have met in the United
States-one in Chicago in 1898 and
the other in Boston in 1904. The peace
movement, leaving the realm of theory
and entering upon its first practical
constructive stage, witnessed in t1tteen
wears the first of The Hague confer
ences. the establishment of an Inter
national court of arbitration and the
beginning of the ninety or more arbi-
tration treaties that bind together the
nations under regime of law.
The congress at London in 1908, the
most memorable of the modern series
was notable for receiving public recog-
milton bv King Edward at Buckingham
the British cabinet with an address by
the British cobinet with an address by
Prime Minister Asquith
The eighteenth congress, which was
to have been held at Stockholm last
year. was postponed because an ex-
tensive strike threatened to interfere
with travel But this year the way is
clear. Many Americans who are mem
bers of the American Peace society
or kindred associations will attend.
The congress will be officially opened
in the house of the nobility A recep-
ton will be given to the delegates and
generous local hospitality shown by
Swedish citizens.
MOVEMENTS BROAD SCOPE
A universal peace congress is not
given UP simply to speeches on peace,
but is a systematic means of getting
consensus of world opinion on peace
measures This is expressed in plat
form of resolutions which is accom-
panied by an address to the rulers of
the nations, urging upon their atten-
tion the most important international
reforms There is no question from
arbitration to the limitation Of arma-
ments, from the aggressiOns of the
great powers upon minor peoples to
the organization of the parliament Of
man. from a war scare in Morocco to
a real war in South Africa or Man
churia from an entente cordiale be-
tween France and Germany to the Fed
Grafton of the World with a chief eX-
ecutive to administer its laws, but has
been debated by these congresses. 1t is
an inspiration to see publicists of the
civilized nations meet on the same
platform to exchange ideas. Though
their debates are often animated they
are fraternal and have due regard for
sensitive national feelings, a splendid
ethical spirit and a broad international
patriotism always prevailing. Among
the eminent persons who participate
in these discussions are Signor Moneta
of italy the Baroness Won Suttner of
Austria, both recipients of the Nobel
prize: Professor Quidde of Germany,
Joseph G.. Alexander of England and
Senator La Fontaine of Belgium. The
languages used, besides that of the
country in which the congress is held.
are English, French and German, but
Esperanto has been authorized.
TO CONSIDER LARGE AFFAIRS
Recent developments bid fair to make
the discussions at Stockholm among
the most interesting ever heard. These
are the probable establishment of the
court OF dIDllIdl JuStlNCi bIiC lOooiblAiNS
of an ternational agreement for the
limitation of armaments, which has
been foreshadowed in President RoOse-
velt's Nobel address; the gradual
change of public opinion in Great
Britain in favor of the immunity from
capture of enemy merchant ships at
sea in lime of war, a measure that if
passed will do away with the necessity
of naval protection for commerce and
therefore greatly reduce armaments
the removal from the category Of war
of questions of national honor, for
which the public mind has been pre-
pared by President Taft's recent
speech and the growing demand for
treaty provisions pledging the nations
not TO take territory from each other
by conquest, fear of annexation and Of
violation of sovereignty having hith-
ertO been the chief cause of war prep
arations Reports will be made on an
international federation, a public In
ternational code, an international relief
fund and new ideas for adoption by the
third Hague conference.
Meeting in Sweden, the home of AL
fred Nobel, founder of the institute
which bears his name, and of King Os-
car the arbitrator. in a country that,
like its Scandinavian sisters, stands
for a forward program, the eighteenth
International Peace congress is likely
to make as much advarce In world or