Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
SWEDENTOENTER
EUROPEANSTRIFE
SAYS VAN CALDER
Rock Island Member of Ford Expedi-
ton Maintains Such viii Be
Case If War Continues.
HOLD RECEPTION AT CHDRC
Modern W0Odmen Editor Feted at Ban.
Quet on Return From Visit to
Belligerent Nations.

Mark my word, if this devastating
war in Europe continues six months
longer. Sweden will be involved and
on the side of Germany" said f. U.
Van Calder, editor of the Modern
Woodman, in his talk at the father
and-son banquet rendered in his honor
at the First Methodist church last
night. Though the Ford peace expe-
dition was laughed and sneered at by
a great majority Of the public and the
press, it accomplished its purpose.
Henry Ford did not hope to effect
peace within a few months and he did
not start out with this object in view.
He wanted to take the initiative in a
worlds peace movement and hopes to
accomplish unoff1cially, what others
failed to do officially. His plan was
carried out in every detail. A commit
Tee of 10 from each country we visited
and the United States was appointed
to carry on the work, and a permanent
committee of five from each country
will remain at The Hague until the war
ends. offering their services as media
tors to any plan that might be accept
able to the belligerents.
Henry Ford is man who has &C
cumulated many millions, more money
than any one man in this world should
possess in his estimation. So he
planned to benefit mankind with this
surplus wealth and after spending con-
siderable thought on the subject de-
cided that the peace expedition was the
greatest plan he could undertake in
this respect-that if he could but short
en- the war but one day, mankind would
be benefited. People ridiculed the
plan, because they did not understand
fun at his undertaking the papers con-
tanned many lengthy articles of the
expedition. Henry Ford sincerely be-
lieves that the world is war mad and
that killing is in the minds of the peo-
pie, that Christ has been forgotten
and that civilization is going back
wards Many thought that the $780,
600 expended for the peace trip could
have been better spent in other fields
but Ford did not
Il happened to be selected as mem
Der of the party, because I represented
one of the organizations in the world
which benefits mankind. I might add
here, that the members of the party
did not take the expedition as a joke
when We passed through mine fields
in the ocean. When in Europe we die
what we we're told to do We ought
to thank God for the Atlantic ocean
We found Norway frightened to death
In Sweden the officials are pro-Ger.
man and the people divided, and if the
war continues for six more months
Sweden will be involved. In Denmark
and Holland we also found the people
frightened almost to death, even pub
lie meetings being prohibited. Den
mark and Holland are pro-English
their attitude being Influenced by tn,
country with which they trade"
Serious Across Sea.
The people across the Atlantic dix
not laugh at Ford's peace pilgrims
They looked in our faces and asked
hat can we do" We were given
"a hand on every side and our meet
irgs were enthusiastic and largely at
t1fded. The people there represen