Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1916-04-12

League, dedicated to the purpose
of directing the education of
children so that their thoughts
and desires may be turned toward
the peaceful regulation of inter
national conduct to the end that
they may be able to act on this
conviction under any circum-
stances that may arise, has is
sued through it's secretary, Mrs.
Fannie Fern Andrews Of Boston,
the following circular letter to the
teachers of the United States.
Since 1908 the organization has
urged the observance of May 18th,
the anniversary, of the First
Hague Conference, as Internation-
Peace Day.
To the teachers of the United
States: With two-thirds of the
world at war, why should we OBJ
serve Peace Day? For a dozen
years past, the schools of this
country and of other countries
hive set aside May 10 for the
purpose of concentrating atten-
ton on the significance of the
work of the Hague Peace Confer
once. But with the threatened
breakdown of civilization in Eu-
rope today, the manhood Of the ma
tons shattered, homes ruined,
productive energy diverted to the
ore task of killing, does it not APP
pear that the Peace Conference is
out of joint with the times? Under
the circumstances, would it not be
well to suspend the customary
reference to this event this year?
Quite the contrary; the system
Of law which the Hague Confer
ences stands for offers the only
hope to war-stricken Europe. This
common tribunal is the only light
upon the horizon, and it is the
duty of us all to keep this light
burning. The opening of the First
Hague Peace Conference on May
IS, 1899 is, without doubt the
starting point and the centre of
international progress. This Con-
ference is described by interna-
tional jurists and statesmen as the
beginning of a new epoch for in
ternational law and international
relations. This and the Second
Hague Conference which met on
June Is, 1907, have forced the re
cognition of the principle that the
establishment of equitable law is
an essential to the realization of
peace. Moreover, the achieve
ments of these Conferences have
impressed the world with the pos
sibllity and the desirability of
making the practice of civilized
nations conform to their pearceful
professions" The hope of civil
cation lies in the progressive effort
which has given to the family of
nations the germ Of an information
al lawmaking body. Law is the
only substitute for war.
The present is not a time for
hopeless detection, in spite of the
momentous struggle across the
water which seems to demonstrate
the overturning of international
law. Upon close examination we
see signs of very great progress.
Almost all the European Powers
proposed recourse to the Hague
Tribunal or to a conference of
interested Powers to avoid war,
and when this was not successful
every belligerent government,
without exception, published it's
reasons for going to war. accord
ing to the Hague Convention. This
appeal to the public opinion of
mankind has no historical prece,
dent. Never before have the ma
tions on such a broad scale sought
to justify their actions at the bar
of this tribunal.
Our task is to strengthen public
opinion, which is the only practi-
cable sanction for international
law. Nothing is more conspicu
Gus in the present war than the