Evening star., 1912-07-07

Trades. but IL carried with IL the oath OF
fidelity to the empire. and Frederic Pas
sy was republican and he refused
His first works appeared In 1851:
langes economiques.'' La propriete in
La Democratic et fin-
struction." Les machines ct leur in
fiuence sur lie progress social" "Instruc-
ton ct Morali,e." Historic du travail"
lie principle de la population" NAL
thus ct la doctrine
Some years later. In 1860. the electors
OF the Gironde solicited Frederic Passy
to accept the mandate of deputy. The
same scruple dictated his refusal. Th:s
quiet man was obstinate and strong in
his convictions
His apostieship for peace began in 1867
by the foundation OF the International
Peace League. OF which
"Barb0rie he became the secretary
nr.,, general. In 1872 he pub
AoucAAc' iished the "Barharis
Moderne" In 1873 he entered political
life under the denomination OF liberal
republican. In 1877 he was named men,
Der Of the Academy of Moral Science and
Politics. replacing NJ. Wo.owski.
In 1880 he was decorated: In 1881 he
was elected deputy OF the eighth dis
trict Of Paris and sat with the left CEN
ter conservative repubicans). A labo-
rious parliamentarian he was one Of the
first to establish the basis OF the law OF
accidents to laborers and the law upon
professional syndicates. Reelected I'm
1881. he took ground against the colonial
policy OF Jules Ferry. AT the same time
he presented his now famous PROPOSE
ton requiring the French government
to take the initiative OF general disarma-
av~I i,xfa tons rhf frof
Frederic Passy was now led to occupy
himself with bringing together men and
peoples. not only guaranteeing them lib-
erty of work and the right OF free trade,
but causing them to feel that solidarity
united them and that fraternity should
inspire them. The enthusiastic economist
with q soul vibrating with sympathetic
love of his fellowman now entered upon
a new phase of his apostleship He fa-
vored a civilization from which brute
force was to be banished and the real
reign of the right of man was to inaugu-
rate peace on earth. Frederic Passy with
all his wisdom believed that the millen-
MUM had come even though Christ had
not appeared. He had faith. He was
eloquent. Never cause had a more sane
and devoted champion.
His role since he was given the Nobel
prize was single devotion to pacifism. He
works of The Hague, with all the plead
fngs for peace and amity. with all the
manifestations for political economical
liberty and the defense of individual l'b-
erty. Frederic Passy never doubted for
a moment the realization of his dream
of fraternity.
In the reunions over which he presided
he presented always an example of calm
dignity. loyalty re-
Impressive spect for his adver-
p..,:A. saries and fidelity to
Iersonallty. the program to whicn
he had consecrated his life. In the de-
velopment OF his ideas his expose OF facts
and statistics accumulated in his port
folio he could command attention and re-
spect at all times. This venerable prophet
Of peace, this man who was obstinate in
his implacable devotion to his dream, and
who defended his theories with the most
generous enthusiasm this man presented
q touching spectacle.
We may not agree entirely with Fred
eric Passy. We do not believe. for ex-
ample that the millennium has come. and
We believe that the human heart is so
sinful and above all SO desperately
wicked that We dare not accept all the
peace theories of the grand pacifist
Did Frederic Passy ever see behind the
curtain that separated him from the
world OF which he had an unbounded
good opinion? Did he ever suspect his
movement for peace a sterile movement?
Let us hear him. He said:
To accuse us of doing a vain work and
that We are chasing chimeras because.
too often still. the old habits of violence
dominate the councils of reason and wis
dom. is as IL one said to the laborer, be-
cause too often the hail or wind destroy
ed the harvests. IT is useless to SOW.
No. my dear friends, no. The task 10
difficult, but 1T is fecund and it is sacred"
1t was thus the great pacifst wrote.
Pacifist? Certainly. but ardent patriot.
and to whom We owe that magnificent
declaration of energy: THE soldier who
braves fire and sword to defend his coun-
try merits admiration and gratitude"
But more than ever. despite pacifsm
and the peace tribunal, ornaments are
being augmented
ArmamentS throughout the uni
Augmenting. verse verse ,,ano ana ~ssllne hens
redoubled i'm activity; more than ever
prudence the most elementary, dictates
that nations should be prepared for any
event Frederic Passy. IL pacifist. was
not an anti-mlitant, and had no SYM
pathy for such. His love of country was
too ardent not to be in accord with all
his soul with those who would defend the
country against its enemies. 1t was
against the spirit of conquest only that
this soldier of peace declared war.
The Temps. In reporting his death.
writes: Frederic Passy was an orator
beyond our powers of description. he
had the gift OF Svoluminous speech, his
accents were taking and his voice clear
and concise. He was firm believer In
what he uttered, and the flame of his
convictions penetrated his auditors and
captured their hearts. How was ii that
he was not poet? He was. Besides,
his whole life had been a long instruc-
tion in beauty a veritable poem of alb
negation of dignity, of disinterested la
bor. of devotion to the public good. of
profound faith in the better and higher
destnies reserved for humanity"
IT remains to cite the last lines OF his
letter read at the meeting of the Sor-
bonne These, his last words, are slgnifi-
cant in this moment of feminine mani
festations which constitute a menace TO
social and political order. Frederic Passy
saw in the family, as II was seen in an
cient Rome. the grace and sovereign
power Of the state He writes:
"Oh! mesdames. IL you knew how
much without andoning-habitually at
least-the peaceful kingdom Of your in
over sons and husbands exercise influence
upon outside life, work for social peace
and International peace. You may change
the world. and you may do more for lne
happiness and honor of our miserable
society than all the combinations of poll
ticians and all the pretensions of so.
called reformers, who sow around them
disorder and hatred
Such is the great and good citizen which