The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-12-24
Celebrate ANNIVERSARY
OF CHEnT peace treaty
Signed by Representatives of Great
Britain and the United States One
Hundred Years Ago, From Feb
ruary ii, 1915
By associated Press.

New York, Dec. 24.-Had the Euro
pean war not interfered, there would
begun tonight in Ghent, Flanders, a
celebration of the one hundredth ami
versary of the signing of the treaty of
Client by representatives of the Unit
ed States and Great Britain. The bur
gomaster of Ghent was to have ten
dered a banquet to fifty American, fifty
English and fifty Canadian delegates in
the hall where the treaty was signed.
Later, Sulgrave Manor, the ancestral
home of George Washington in Eng
land, was to have been presented to
the American people by the British
Peace centenary committee. The home
already has been purchased. 1t prob
ably will be rehabilitated and present
/ ed later
Believing despite the war the ami
versary should not pass unobserved in
the United States, number of widely
known citizen of this country who are
interested in the movement tonight is
sued communication asking that the
! day be remembered and celebrated at
specified dates beginning February IA.
The communication follows:
Zone hundred years ago yesterday
there was signed at Client in Elan
ders, the treaty of peace between
Great Britain and the United States,
which marked the close of what has
happily proved to be the last war be-
tween English speaking peoples of the
earth. To-day the city of Ghent is at
the very center of the terrible conflict
that RACES in Europe.
"The American Peace Centenary
Committee cannot permit this anniver-
sary to pass without inviting the
thoughtful attention of their fellow
citizens to the contrast presented by
the century long period of peace which
English-speaking peoples have enjoyed
among themselves on the one hand, and
the appalling destruction of life, prop
erty and great monuments of civiliza
tion which the European war involves
on the other. 1t had been our conf
dent hope that the example which the
English-speaking peoples have set in
their relations with each other would
be followed by the other great nations
of the earth in their several interna-
tional relations. 1t had been our
earnest desire that the spirit of peace
full and friendly cooperation which
each of these peoples manifest toward
| the people of the United States would
also mark their dealings with one an
ether. Unfortunately this was not to
be, and we are sorrowfully called upon
to mark our centenary celebration in
the midst of the most terrible and de-
structive war that history records.
Even at such a time, we must avow
once more our emphatic faith in the
supremacy of justice over force, of law
over might. We rejoice in the peace
full relations of hundred years among
all English speaking peoples. and par
tieularlv in the undefended and un-
fortified line nearly four thousand
miles in length, which divides the ter
ritory of the United States from that
of the Dominion of Canada. The mu-
tual trust, forbearance and helpfulness
which make that undefended boundary
a link and not barrier between two
peoples, we offer as an example to our
warning brothers across the sea.
1t had been our purpose, when our
committee was organized in 1910, to
plan for great celebration of the cen
tenary anniversary by various methods
which have now, because of the ter
rible war which is still convulsing Eu-
rope and disturbing the whole world,
become impraeticable until the close of
the conflict.
81 But we appeal to the people in all
the States and to all civic bodies to
marx this notable anniversary by suit
able exercises in churches of all de.
nominations on the 14th of February,
the date agreed upon for that purpose
with our associate, the Canadian com
mlttee; by formal addresses at the capi-
tails of the respective States ON the
l7th and 18th of February, the dates
OF the ratification and proclamation of
the Treaty; and also by appropriate
exercises in all the schools on the 22na
day of February. or on such later date
or dates in the spring of 1915 as NAV
be locally deemed preferable:
By which all the children of Amer.
lea should be instructed on the signi
ticance of this great event, and of the
happy prospect which is assured to us.
IN spite of this horrible war, of anoth
er century OF continued peace between
all the English-speaking peoples of the
world.
The signers were: Joseph H. Choate.
chairman, New York; William Howard
Taft New Haven; Thomas II. Bavard.
Wilmington; George W. Burleigh, New
York; Nicholas Murray Butler, New
York: William A. Clark, New York:
John d. Crimmins. New York; William
Curtis Demorest, New York; Henry S.
Drinker, South Bethlehem; j. Tavlor
Ellyson, Richmond; John H. Finley. AL. |
bany Austen G. Fox, New York; AL |
belt Eugene Gallatin, New York: James
Cardinal Gibbons, Baltimore; Samuel
Gompers, Washington, d C.; w. O..
Hart, New Orleans; Job T.. Hedres.
New York; Andrew B. Humphrey. New
York: Harry Pratt Judson, Chicago;
Theodore Marburg, Baltimore; Henry
Z. Morris, Chicago; Robert c. Morris
New York; Alton B. Parker, New York.
Elihu Root, Washington, d. c.; Francis
Lynde Stetson, New York; John A. |
Stewart, New Pork; Oscar s. Straus. |
New York, and Frank s. Streeter. Con. !
cord
Plans for the celebration were al. |
reeted IN this country by the American |
peaee Centenary Committee, which has