The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-12-02
Governor Joins Ford's
Party to Plead Peace

Fargo, Dec. 1.-Governor I. b. Han.
ma, OF North Dakota, has answered the
r. $. v. p. Of Henry Ford's invitation
to sail on the Ford peace ship. Dec 4,
and will join the conclave Of notables
who will make warriors Of the world
understand that this earth is no place
for them and that peace declared on
Christmas day will mean disarmament
Of the world" in the words Of the host
to the party.
The chief executive OF North Dakota
made up his mind in hurry yester-
day afternoon to accept the invitation.
and arrived in Fargo last evening on
the delayed train No. 8 Of the Northern
Pacific. He left early this morning
for st. Paul and will then 60 direct to
New York. He spent portion Of the
time between trains at his home, at.
tending to business interests. The
peace party sails from New York on
the scandinavian-American liner, Os.
car II, on Saturday.
When seen last evening shortly after
ne arrived in the city, the governor
stated that he had all of the business
OF the Office up to date and in the
TACT that the holidays are approaching
and there will be little state business
70 attend to, he thought it was his
duty to go. He said he would be away
about six weeks, and that in the
meantime, Lieutenant Governor Frame
Would act in his absence.
Governor Hanna stated that he re.
ceived many letters from all parts Of
the state and from people Of all ma
tlonalities urging him to accept the
invitation. He asserted that he felt
an enort should be made by the people
outside of the warning nations to end
the war for he understood the efforts
made by nation involved in the war
would be considered a confession OF
weakness by the other belligerents.
Inc governor spoke enthusiastically
OF the great mission of the Ford peace
conclave. He said invitations have
been sent to the governments Of all tho
neutral nations Of Europe to have Of
ncial representatives join the deleea-
ton from America upon its arrival at
The Hague.
It may be that no official repre.
sentatives will be selected by the gov.
ernments," said the governor. ..but it
is assured that many prominent men
and women Of all nations will Join lis.
This commission Of representatives
from many nations will investigate as
thoroughly as possible the conditions
mat exist In the warning countries.
Belgium and possibly Serbia will be-
visited and the conditions that prevail
at the prison detention camps will be
investigated and the alleged atrocities
Will also be looked into. The com.
mission will endeavor to ascertain the
sentiment of the people Of the bellig-
erent nations with regard to war and
also the terms upon which the bellig.
erents are willing to enter upon peace
negotiations.
II may be that the contamination
Of a peace conference will not follow
The visit Of the commission to Europe
but we hope to make 1t the first stem
toward lasting peace"
Governor Hanna stated that Mr..
Ford's plan was entitled to the great
est consideration Of all the people and
expressed in the strongest terms his
disapproval Of that part Of the Ameri-
can press which since the plan was
hrst suggested, had been heaping ridi-
cules upon Mr.. Ford for his vision
ary" plan. The governor voiced the
opinion that these organs expressed
the views Of the munition makers
rather than the views Of the American
people.
It has been said that the American
colony in London is antagonistic to-
ward the peace plan. /" continued the
governor. WHO composes the Amer
lean colony In London at this time.
but representatives Of firms that sell
ammunition and munitions Of war?
Naturally these people are not anxious
g have peace concluded, but fortu-
nately they are not, the exponents Of
American public opinion, although
they may have spread the idea In Eur
ope that the American people are in
Eerested only in making money out Of
the war. The commission will rem
der an unreasonable service III dis
pelling this idea abroad.
Bryan to Join il Europe.
4 Miami, Fla, Nov. william ].
Bryan today said he had been forced
% decline to sail on the Ford peace
ship on Dec 1. He said, however, that