Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
HOUSTON PLEADS
FOR WORLD COURT
Noted Editor Talks On Commerce
and World Peace" at CONNER
cial Club Yesterday.
BUSINESS AFFECTED BY WAR


A world court, made powerful by
to combined influence of all the
commerce Of all nations, and with a
commercial boycott by all other ma
lions as the penalty for any country
that does not abide by the world
courts decisions, is he business
mans solution Of the war problem,
and the surest way 20 permanent
world peace, according to Herbert s.
Houston.
He spoke along those lines at n
public affairs luncheon at the Com
mercial club yesterday. taking Com
m. rec and World Peace" as his sub
ject. Mr.. Houston is chairman OF the
information committee OF the League
20 Enforce Peace, was delegate TO
the international peace conference at
Paris. and is now on his way home
TO resume his business as a publisher
and member OF the firm OF Double
day-Page & Co.
oiated Ad Clubs of the World and was
the guest OF the Omaha Ad club at a
banquet at the University club last
evening. Vice President LATE Young, jr.,
Of Des MOlnes alec spoke.
All business Affected.
~Amevican business. az well az that OF
every other nation. has been profoundly
affected by the war" Mr.. Houston said,
BY way OF beginning his business mans
message on the war Therefore Amer
lean business men are anxious TO substi-
tute law for war"
He outlined a referendum plan soon TO
Be submitted TO the 10000 Commercial
club men Of the United States. providing
for a survey OF the peace question. Con-
hnufng. he said:
Arbitration Mandatory.
The sanest and most practical men.
who have studied the question agree that
q arbitration OF International disputes is
90 get anywhere It must be mandatory
instead Of optional with the nations con-
oerned. So the idea has been evolved of
enforcing peace by commercial power,
with military power as only the last
resort. not for making war, but TO bring
peace.
The way the bankers Of Venice de-
iayed Philip IFS armada. and the fact
that today 70 per cent of the worlds
securities are owaed internationally, shows
what tremendous power commerce has TO
ward off war and punish recsleltrsnt
nations.
world Needs Court House.
Education. music. literature and re-
ligion are international forces. hut In
-
Law is the stronger force for peace with
IN a nation. and II can be between ma
tlons also. The world needs court
house. just like states. and the court
world court. when backed by the COM
bined commercial power OF the world.
will be- tho greatest possible guarantee
OF permanent world peace.
Amy nation that breaks It's treaties.
oversteps International law or refuses 20
arhitrate its difficulties with another ma
sion. would be commercially boycotted by
all other nations through the world
court"
Urges Referendum Vote.
The speaker urged omaha business
men to vote on the referendum for the
United States 20 join the world court,
with the world commercial backing. he
outlined. AZ 10 the possibility OF war.
he said that whatever the price may be.
II viii be much cheaper than war
Ralph Sunderland presided. and among
those at the speakers table wero gena-
tor G. NJ. Hitchcock and Victor Rose
water.
Mr.. Houston said Il was pleasure for
hAm 20 be In Omaha again. lie said the
city shows rapid. definite growth. Many
years ago he was correspondent for an
Omaha newspaper.