The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-23
Committee Sounding Out All
Europe's Belligerent Nations.
FRANCE WOMEN'S LEAGUE ACTS
Situation Demands Initiative
for Peace Over Protests.
Leaders in All War Torn COun-
tries Want War Ended.

New I Crk, OCT. ia copy u SihO
peace petition which has been signed
by 100000 British subjects. has been
received by the American Neutral con-
ference committee in New York. At
the office. 10 Fifth avenue, the fol-
lowing statement was issued;
The petition is simply additional
evidence that the world wants peace
1t is evidence that few war lords in
the belligerent countries do not speak
for the whole people.
ct is significant when brave, patri-
otto Britons put their names, on record
on peace petition. 1t is not an easy
thing to do under the existing condi-
tions. France, too, is anxious for
peace, and the French section of the
Women's League for Permanent
Peace, has submitted a strong declara-
ton to all members of the senate and
chamber of deputies.
I'm the German reichstag, the other
day, Herr Scheidemann said: We de-
clare openly and clearly that the ma
tons want peace. All the nations
have had enough of being lured to
destruction by fresh and brilliant
promises. The French censorship pre-
vents Frenchmen from knowing that
they could have the liberation of their
own country and of Belgium from the
German troops today, without losing
further drop of blood and without
losing a foot of territory. We wish TO
see the relations between nations regu-
lated by treaties, not by brute force
Lloyd George Not Immune to Peace.
Lloyd George, who pleads with his
countrymen to fight till there is a
knockout, said in his famous state
ment: I stood, as it were, at the door
of hell and saw myriads marching into
scorched and mutilated.' BY his
own words Lloyd George stands OPP
posed to war, even tho he decries neu-
trail interference.
What is true of conditions in Eng
land, France and Germany. is true.
Also in Austria. Hungary Belgium,
Poland, Serbia, and even Russia.
where the people are praying for the
dawn of peace.
These are not idle assertions, but
are backed up by every American who
has returned from any of these coun-
tries this year. Lord Bryce, for many
years dean of the diplomatic corps at
Washington, verifies this position in
his recent utterance, which may be
said to truthfully reflect the best
Judgment among the belligerent ma
tons.
1.-The time has arrived when the
United States. as the big neutral
should act"
May Save Millions of Lives.
Hamilton Holt, editor of the indie
pendent, and chairman of the Ameri-
can Neutral Conference committee,
issues the following statement:
Two questions of vast magnitude
confront us: First, what can be done
to hasten the end of the European
conflict: second, how can We establish
an international peace which shall be
guarantee against war for all time
to come?
Various organizations have sug-
gested feasible plans for the solution
of the second problem. The American
Neutral Conference committee is con-
cerned wholly with the first.
Winter Adds New Horrors.
AT the beginning of the third fear
full winter when practically every
home in the belligerent countries has
felt the scourge of war, it is only
reasonable and human to believe that
an honest effort on the part of neu-
trails to bring about just peace would
be welcomed.
1.-The good offices of the United
States have been formally offered and
rejected. But Europe is in the throes
of a crisis. 1t is not the time when
conventions or precedent can be con-
sidered- A joint conference of all the
neutral nations would command re-
spect and would undoubtedly receive
hearing. To call such a conference
would be an act of humanity. and in
so acting, no government could err
Besides this plan has the advantage of
never having been tried. Why not.
try it? 1t may save millions of men,
women and children from misery, suf-
fering, and DEATH
Judge Lindsey's Version.
Judge Ben. B. Lindsey, who spent
two months in Europe this year, gives
out a statement from the Neutral Con-
ference committee, in which he says:
The president of the Nobel Peace
commission, at Christiania, Norway
stated to a group of the Ford peace
party last winter that the other neu-
trail nations were looking to the United
States to call a peace conference"
Judge Lindsey, in speaking of his
own observations, while abroad, adds:
My experience in Europe convinced
me that the people of all belligerent
countries would at this time welcome
action by our government I hope it
will be taken
moral Right" Says Governor Capper.
"An Americans are naturally con-
cerned with any proper movement to
restore peace in Europe, and therefore
I am in hearty sympathy with the
general purposes of the American
Neutral Conference committee" says
Governor Arthur Capper of Kansas, in
a statement just issued. ''An official
conference of neutral nations is the
proper method of procedure" he con-
tinued, ..and / believe that under the
Hague conference that the neutralS
have moral right to offer mediation.
[ cannot conceive that any of the bel
igerents would take offense, should
the United States, as the greatest CT
all neutrals. take the initiative in a
movement that would go a long way
toward advancing the cause of hui
manfty.'