Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-13
PLANS FOR PEACE
IN THROES OF WAR.
British Plan to Enforce World
Peace After Present War Is
Already Drawn Up.
TAKES IN ALL RISKS

! Correspondence of The Associated Press)
London, April 20.-The British plan
for league to enforce peace, as
drawn up by committee headed by
Viscount Bryce, former American
ambassador, has just been made
public here, although it was prepared
two years ago, thus antedating the
plan of the American league. 1t goes
further than the American plan in
providing means to enforce decisions
upon aggressive and recalcitrant ma
tions.
In a prefactory note to the outline
of the British scheme, Lord Bryce
says:
The frightful catastrophe of the
present war, involving more than
half the human race, and bringing
grave evils on neutral nations also,
has driven thoughtful men to reflect
on the possibility of finding means by
which the risk of future war may be
dispelled or at least largely reduced.
The only effective and permanent
remedy would be to convince the
several peoples of the world that they
have far more to lose than to gain
from strife, and to replace by senti-
ment of mutual international good
will the violent national antagonisms
that now exist. But this, we we'll
fear, would be slow process
Follow Public Opinion.
Meantime that which may be DONE
and which it seems possible to do at
once, is to provide machinery by and
through which the volume of inter-
national public opinion, which favors
peace may be enabled to express
itself, and bring its power to bear
upon any nation in which there may
from time to time exist spirit of
aggression or a readiness to embark
on war in pursuit of selfish interests
or at the bidding of national pride.
THE nature of the machinery re-
quired is indicated by some facts
which this war has brought out in
strong relief. These are:
First the increased risks to peace that
arise from the increased speed with which
communications between governments me-
ditating war are exchanged, and with which
momentous decisions are taken.
Second. the difficulty neutral nations find
in ascertaining the merits of dispute which
has led to war. and thus in Judging between
the disputants and throwing to one or other
side the weight Of their opinion.
Third, the gigantic scale on which war Is
now waged, compelling governments in or
der TO secure themselves from sudden on
saughts. to maintain naval and military
armaments incomparabIy larger than ever
before, and thereby laying intolerable bur-
dens on the peoples.
The machinery needed to meet these con-
dtions would seem to be:
First, the prescribing of a certain period
OF time within which steps could be taken
to settle dispute amcably before a resort
to arms.
Second, means for ascertaining the facts
and clearing up the issues in dispute so
to facilitate the forming of an impartial
opinion upon the merits
Third, arrangements between pacflcally-
minded nations for mutual protection against
sudden attack by state which refuses TO
allow time for investiga ting and trying to
secure an amicable adjustment of Its
claims.
at may reasonably be hoped that
if some scheme calculated to attain
thSoS ODJCllS "ClS duoplSu ny d IOh-
siderable number of states, the opin-
ion Of neutral nations, being better in
strucfed and having a vehicle for its
expression, would become more eff
fective force than it has been hitherto
in the way of deterring aggressive
governments from war
Time Ripe for Plan.
Everyone seems TO feel the ap-
proach of supremely important mo-
ment. If the opportunity which the
close of the present conflict will offer
for the provision of means to avert |
future wars be lost, another such op-
portunity may never reappear. If
things are not then made better the |
prospect for mankind will be darker
than ever and the condition of the
world will have grown worse, because
the recurrence Of like calamities will
have been recognized as a thing to.
be expected and their causes as be-
IIa on every can