The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1914-09-01
DR.. BATTEN WAR
BOUND IN PARIS
International Peace Delegate
Tells Of Experience.


to attend an International peace con-
ference, the Rev. DIR. Samuel zane
Batten, formerly pastor of the First
Baptist church. of this town. has writ
ten from London of the desperate
straits in which American tourists
found themselves during the mobiliza-
tion of European armies.
Doctor Batten, who is social service
secretary of the northern Baptist
convention, says he met people from
all parts of Germany who tod him
that the people in the kaiser's en-
pire do not want war. The military
party Is responsible for Gernanyis at
tftude, they told him.
A delegate to the peace conference,
which was scheduled for Constance.
Germany, Doctor Batten didn't get
nearer to Germany than Paris. There
he was compelled to wait until the
mobilization was over He finally got
passage to London, and he is now
waiting in London for an opportunity
to get home. With him in Paris
were Bishop J.. W. Hamilton, of Bos-
ton, of the Methodist Episcopal church:
the Rev. DR.. Nehemiah Boynton, of
Brooklyn; Dr. James /. Vance, of
-.
Prof. Graham Taylor and DR.. Peter
Ainslie, of Baltimore, aud delegates to
the peace conference at Constance.
These delegates were passengers on
the steamship Philadelphia, which
left New York on July oath. BY the
time they reached Paris, on August
LIST, war had been declared between
Germany and Russia, and the French
were already mobilizing their troops.
1--WE found that railway service was
interrupted, and 1t was hardly possible
Tor us TO get through to Constance"
Doctor Batten said. Our group
wisely decided to remain together and
to act together. We decided to re-
main/in Paris for "a day till the way
opened. But we found that mobiaiza-
tion of the army had begun, sand few
travellers could be carried on the
trains. We spent part of Sunday
obtaining citizenship papers from our
counsel in Paris. Pollce regulations
in France are very strict in war time,
and we were obliged to obtain citi-
zenship papers which must be vised
by the. police. We found many Amer
deans who were short of ready money.
They had letters of credit, but were
unable to obtain funds at the banks.
The stores and restaurants refused to
accept French paper money. Conse-
quently. many travellers were greatly
embarrassed. However, in a day or
two the money stringency passed, and
thangs became more normal.
"Of course, many travellers were
anxious to leave Paris for London or
home. At the railway station were
long lines of people waiting for many
hours to obtain number which en-
| titled them to purchase ticket. We
saw women and men who had waited
half day, and some adj night in
the street.
Monday afternoon a meeting of
Americans was held in the Grand
hotel, at which resolutions were adopt
ed asking our, government to send
transports to take home the Ameri-
cans, and a committee of relief ap-
pointed to cooperate with the com
mittee named by Ambassador Herrick
to look after all needy Americans.
One cannot speak too highly of
Mr.. Herrick, who has labored night
and day in behalf of his fellow-citi-
zens. He has shown marked organ
izing ability, tact and unselfishness
throughout the crisis. The committee
of relief contains such names as E. H.
Gary, chairman Chauncey Depew,
Bishop Hamilton, Prof Graham Tay-
lor. | was also named as a member.
In a few days, by the end of the
week, the money stringency was over
trains were running more frequently,
and many Americans left Paris, some
for their vessels and some for Lon
don. Our little group left Paris Thurs
day morning, and spent the day till
after seven o'clock going IT'S miles to
Hayre. The steamship for Southamp-
ton was overcrowded and many of
us were compelled to spend the night
I'm chairs, hundreds slept on deck in
the open air. Friday noon we reached
London, where we are awaiting the
first chance to take ships for home.
'Millionaires, judges, professors
ministers, every one is willing to go
i'm the steerage if only they may
reach home.
1T is not possible here to discuss
the causes of the war or the pros
poets of peace. While waiting in Par
is our group met and drew up the
following message, which was cabled
to President Wilson:
I'VE, group of delegates to the
international church peace conference
which was to have been held in Con-
stance August End to 7th, but was
prevented by the outbreak of war, and
representatives of the federal council
of the churches of Christ in America,
composed of thirty religious bodies
with 100000 members, desire to
record our profound concern for the
peace of the world.
We feel confident that you, the
head OF neutral nation having friend
ly relations with all the peoples in
volved, will use every opportunity to
exercise your good office to
secure the arbitration of the ques-
tions at issue and thereby, if possi-
ble, avert a disastrous international
war.
In the name of Christ and human
ity we appeal to you in, this hour of
world need
Signed, John W. Hamilton, Sam
uel Zane Batten, Graham Taylor,
James l. Vance, Peter Ainslie.'
This war is the last stand of me-
dival military autocracy. AN lovers
of mankind must regret this war. for
1t promises to be a terrible and bloody
one. But now that it has come there
Is only one thing to, do-fight 1t,
through to the end. This war is a