Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-02-13
TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF PEACE.
BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN
AND UNITED STATES.
Dear Friends:

Dear Friends
On behalf of the Society of Friends
in Great Britain, we address to you a
hearty fraternal greeting on the occas-
ion Of the conclusion of one hundred
years ot peace between our two nations.
The celebrations which had been PLAN
ned ior this happy anniversary will in
evitaby be oyershadowed, if not alto
geth9r prevented, by the sudden cut
break of European war on the vastest
scale the world has ever seen. But the
best celebration Of the long reign of
peace between rs will be to take steps
to maintain it unbroken and extend its
blessings to others. We rejoice in the
important step just taken in this direc-
tion by your senate in ratfying the
treaties with our country and with
France and Spain, providing for
years delay for inquiry and friendly
ldiscussion before war can be begun.
The present war affords an object les
son Ul a stupendous scale of the failure
of material defenses to preserve peace
between nations Our two countries on
the other hand can point to u century
Of peace achieved with land frontier
Of some 5000 miles, unguarded by fort
or soldier and lake frontier on which,
by mutual agreement, no warship ever
sails. This success may indicate whab
would be the effect if tine nations were
willing TO be taught by the spirit Of
Jesus Christ our Lord TO trust in spirit
ual weapons only, relying on justice,
liberty and frank and righteous dealing
instead Of the false security Of arma-
ments.
Whatever may be the outcome Of the
present terrible conflict, we in Europe
shall sorely need the help Of American
experience and wisdom in reaching a
settlement that may bring good out Of
evil by substituting for the material
defelces that have failed the spiritual
ones tnat cannot fail You can help
to form a public opinion in the world
which will insist that the opportunity
shall not be wasted for an arrangement
between the nations which shall be
based on trust and mutual respect.
Such settlement would not be consid.
cred fully satisfactory unless the ma.
tions concerned in It bind themselves to
unlimited arbitration with one another,
q condition which would naturally lead
to unarmed frontiers and TO q great
diminution Of armaments on land and
at sea. II this unique opportunity is
lost, If material precautions alone are
taken to prevent tne recurrence Of
strife, II is certain that failure will re.
suit, and new cycle will begin Of
arming FOR mutual destruction.
Another need at the present time,
which our century of peace may well
suggest to us, is that of eradicating
from our schools on both sides OF the
Atlantic, methods Of teaching history
which serve To- keep alive the enmity
created by past conflicts, and of sub.
stituting for them such view OF hu.
man progress as may bring out the
broadening apirit Of friendship and
brotherhood, and the success Of this
spirit in keeping the nations OF peace.
Signed on benalf of the meeting for
sufferings of London yearly meeting Of
the Society of Friends.
FREDK, ANDREWS, Clerk.
Devonshre House,
1885 Bishopsgate
London, n, G.
Tenth Month, 1914,
Endorsed by the quarterly meeting Of
the Salem Friends church, held Novem.
Der 81, 1914.
G. PEMBERToN, Clerk.