The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-20
NEUTRAL NATIONS
DESIRE WORLD PEACE
Letters Were Read at Pittsburg Meeting
Last Night From Several European
Countries, Including Switz-
erland.

erland.
Pittsburg, Jan. l9.--Neutral nations O
Europe expressed, in messages read at 4
dinner given here last night, under tn,
auspices of the League to Enforce Peace
to consider a program for permanent
league of nations TO become effective al
the close of the present war, desire IL
take part in the formation of such 8
league. Letters from Switzerland, Spain
and Denmark, in answer to inquiries
from Theodore Marburg, chairman of the
committee on foreign organization of the
League to Enforce Peace, We're read. The
favorable answers from the neutral ma.
tions follow closely upon the reply OF
the entente allies to President Wilson in
which 10 of the IA countries at war joint
ly declared; "They associate themselves,
with all their hopes, with the project for
the creation of league of nations to in
sure peace and justice throughout the
world"
DIR. Hoffman,, head of the political de-
partment of Switzerland, in behalf of his
| government. indorses the efforts of the
League to Enforce Peace, as follows:
Political Department of Switzerland
| Division of Foreign Affairs.
! Berne, Dec. IL 1916.
Mr.. Chairman:
| You have been SO good as to address to
us, through the instrumentality of our
minister at Washington, and accompan-
led by recommendation from W. H.
Taft, former president of the United
States, letter signed by you and enclos-
| ing various documents concerning the
League to Enforce Peace.
1t is with very great interest that we
have taken note of the program of your
humanitarian movement. In asking us
to associate ourselves in it you have Civ
en- us new proof of the sympathy of
the United States for Switzerland and
we desire TO say to you how much we APP
preciate it.
The League to Enforce Peace, which
counts among its members so many emf
nent personalities, aims to insure the
maintenance of peace after it shall have
been concluded; truly delicate mission,
but the difficulties OF which are not to be
allowed to discourage your efforts. You
regard as one of the most efIicacious
means to that end treaty of arbitration
conceived in the same spirit as to that
treaty of Feb. 10, 1914, between Switz.
erland and the United States, a treaty
which all the countries are to sign and
by which they will undertake to submit
to the decision of a supreme information
al tribunal the conflicts which may arise
between them in order to avoid, as far as
possible, return of the catastrophe which |
desolates the world to-day. Switzerland /
ia so much the better placed to appreci |
ate the work of which the United States !
has taken the initiative because. sur. |
rounded on all sides by war. because, |
peopled by the race and inheriting the /
language and the culture Of three among |
the eombatant nations, she is better able !
than any other country to realize the
fact that war is inhuman and is contrary /
to the superior interest of civilization
which is the common patrimony of all |
men.
If, then, at the conclusion of peace, the
occasion should present itself for ne to
unite our efforts to yours, we viii not
fail to do so, and we viii be happy to
make our contribution toward rendering /
peace more secure when re-establshed.
Accepting, Mr.. Chairman, the assur-
ance of our very distinguished considera-
ton.
(Signedl
The Political Department of Switzer
land. Hoffman,.
The following letter is from Juan Ri
mo, the ambassador from Spain:
Spanish Embassy, Washington.
Jan l3, 1917.
Ny Dear Sir:
With reference to your letter of Jan. 3
nd my reply OF the 5th, beg to inform
'ou that ! have received a cablegram
rom His Exeelleney Don Amalio Gimeno, /
minister of foreign affairs of Spain, in
which, in response to your request, he
me to communicate to you
he following message, to be read at the
inner to be held in Pittsburg on jan
AIRY the lsth
His Majesty's government is follow
lg with keen sympathy the idea of es-
ablishing. after the end OF the present
'ar, an international league for the pur
ose of preventing the peace of the world
eing again disturbed, and when the OPP
ortunity of doing so arrives, with
uarantee of success, will lend its con-
purse to the realization of such hui
lanitarian and lofty project
Believe me,
Yours faithfully,
(Signed) Juan Riano.
Erik Scaenius, minister OF foreign at
Iirs for Denmark, wrote as follows
Copenhagen. Oct. 6, 1916.
r -
have the honor to acknowledge the
ceipt of the letter which you have been
'od enough to send me concerning the
nerican branch OF the League TO En-
rec Peace, and / may add that its con
nts have interested me highly.
The object for which the League to
1forcc Peace" is specially working, viz,
mpulsory arbitration for International
fferences not settled by diplomatic ne
has at all times had full sym
thy of the Danish government. 1t viii
sufficient IN that reSDppf tO refer to