The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1911-03-31
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INTERNATIONAL PEACE PACT

bsu &tsstIs fa0AtTls E-1Oi- siOs
The movement to form world
wide peace federation has received
a distinct impetus within the last
week. This movement differs from
The previous IF ,ris If peace socis
ties in this country and abroad in
the important respect that while
their activities have been in large
measure academic, educating public
sentimentin favor of universal peace
through the medium of an interna
tional tribunal at The Hague com
posed of leading jurists from a few
of the great powers, the present
movement took form aad substance
as the result Of concurrent note
submitted last winter to the leading
governments of Europe and the Far
East by Secretary of Safe Knox,
under President Tafi's direction,
proposing worldwide peace pa t.,
to be signed b. the controlling na.
tions.
Hitherto the peace sociljes have
appealed to the delegates TO the
peace conferences at The Hague,
who slipped through the neshes of
practical action at foimer convent
ions bv pleading lack Of authority
to bind their respective govern
ments, thereby escapinG responsi.
bility for blocking the efforts of the
peace advocates. Secretary Knox
and President Taft have addressed
the governments Of the various i'm
portant countries directly, thus GO
ing straight to the mark and reach
Ing those who have the power and
can not escape the responsibility for
whatever course they may see fit 10
take. In this way the heads of the
respective governments can nor
plead a desire for universal peace
end then excuse their failure to tak9
prsctical action by pleading lack
OF authority. The peace society of
New York may pass resolutions and
appoint delegates to the conference
at The Hague, but these delegates
have no authority to speak for the
United States government or to bind
it by any action they may take. It
has been through this loophole Of
escape that III German government
has blocked the peace movement for
years, although expressing the
strongest desire to see it succeed.
Secretary K-ox'splan has receiv-
ed the Endorsement of Japan, France
and England, and it is expected
that a quadriple peace alliance wi.l
be formed by these countries, with
the probability thatAustrla- Hungary
Italy, Russia aud number ot
smaller nations Will sign the agree
ment, or peace pact, which has
been put into written form and is
already in the hands of the Japanese
ambassador, Baron Uchida, and The
British foreign'office. Ambassador
Bacon is taking the copy of the
agreement as originally drafted to
France, where be will personally
submit 1t to the president and
cabinet of that country. Germany,
as usual, is standing aloof, but the
best informed diplomats ale inclined
to>believe that the German govern
ment viii be forced by public
sentiment to sign the document IN
the end. At any rate. an alliance
composed Of the powers which have
signiied their approval of Secretary
Konx's plan will doubtless be
strong enough 10 insure universal
peace The plan provides for ar
blt5alion of international disputes
in all matters, including national
honor, thereby removing the stumb
Ing block which has rull fisG all
previous efforts to insure worldwide
peace.-Kansas City Journal.
RUSSIA AND CHINA