The Washington times., 1917-05-25
WORLD PEACE PLAN
OUTLINED BY BRYCE
Treaty Against Hasty War
Declaration Urged.
SEEKS A PROTECTIVE UNION
Governments Asked to Join in e.
fort to Enforce Arbitration.

LONDON. May 25.-Ths British plan
for a league to enforce peace, As
drawn up by a committee headed by
viscount Bryce. former American am
bassador. has just been made public
here. although II was prepared two
years ago, thus antedatinE the plan
OF the American league. IL goes fur
ther than the American plan in pro-
viding means to enforce decisions up
on aggressive and recalcitrant ma
| tions. In q predatory note OF the out
line OF the British scheme. an alb
stract Of which has been cabled to
the United States. Lord Bryce says:
The frightful catastrophe OF the
present war. involving more than half
the human race, has driven thought
ful men to reflect on the possibility OF
finding means by which the risk Of
future wars may be dispelled or at
least largely reduced. The only ef-
fective 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 a sentiment OF mutual in
ternational good will the violent ma
llOudl a8OuAHliAH NhaN hOW g ~
But this, we may well fear. would be
a slow process. Meantime that which
may be done. and which II seems pos
sible to do at once. Is to provide ma
Ichinery by and through which the vol
ume OF international public opinion
which fayors peace may be enabled to
express itself and bring IT'S power to
bear upon any nation in which there
may from time to time exist q spirit
Of aggression or q readiness to EN-
bark on war in pursuit OF selfish In
terests or at the bidding OF national
pride.
Nature Of Machinery.
The nature OF the machinery re-
quIred IL 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 meditating war are ex-
changed, and with which momentous
decisions are taken.
.Second-The difficulty neutral ma
tions find in ascertainiug the merits
OF a dispute which has led to war,
and thus in judging between the dis
putants and throwing to one or other
side the weight OF their opinion.
"Third-The gigantic scale on which
war is now waged. compelling gov
ernments. in order to secure them
selves from sudden onslaughts, TO
maintain naval and military arma-
ments incomparably larger than ever
before and thereby laying intolsraole
burdens on the people.
"The machinery needed to meet
these conditions would seem to be:
"FIrst-The prescribing Of q GER
tain period of time within which steps
could be taken to settle q dispute
amicably before a resort to arms.
"Second-Mesns for ascertaining
the facts and clearing up the issues
in dispute. so as to facilitate the
forming OF an impartial opinion upon
the merits.
"Third-Arrangemen between pa
cifically minded nations for mutual
protection against sudden attack by
state which refuses TO allow time for
investigation and trying 20 secure an
amicable adjustment Of its claims.
Outline Of Plans.
The plan as outlined BY Lord
Bryce's committee is as follows:
The draft treaty Is not a project
for international government. IL IL
the project of q treaty between SOW
ereIgn states, and is intended to suB:
Eest. not a remote ideal. but some
thing that may be Immediately prac-
ticable when the war is over. II pro
poses not to make war impossible,
but to make 1t less probable by the
creation Of new international machin-
cry whereby what, IL Is hoped, Will
be the general will to peace may find
effective expression. The treaty
would constitute. II adopted, not a
league OF some states against others.
but a union OF as many as possible
In the common interest OF all.
"The states included in the Union
would bind themselves by treaty
TO refer all disputes that may
arise between them. II diplomatic
methods OF adjustment had failed,
either to an arbitrsl tribunal for Judi
ciaI decision or to a council OF concil-
alton for Investigation and report.
Not to declare war or begin hos
tiIities or hostile preparations until
the tribunal had decided or the coun-
ell had reported.
ITO take concerted action, economic
and forcible. against any signatory
power that should act In violation OF
the preceding condition.
ITO take similar action against any
non-signatory power that should de
clare war or begin hostilities or hos
tile preparations against a siEnatory
power without first submitting the
dispute to peaceable settlement by
the method indicated.
Two Glasses OF Disputes.
"Coercive sction by the members of
the union would be a treaty obliRa-
ton only in the case where a state
had resorted to force before submit.
ting the dispute to peaceable settle
ment For the purposes OF such ac-
tion IL is not proposed to abolish ma
tionsl armaments and substitute a
.nrce under international control.
The forces employed should be the
national forces OF the members OF
the union. International disputes
which diplomacy has failed to adjust
would be referred either to judicial
process or to conciliation. Thus two
classes OF disputes are recognized
and two processes OF adjustment.
"The hrst class OF disputes are
call 'iusticIable Such disputes are
to be referred TO The Hague court,
as IL now Is. or MAJ in future be
constituted or to some other arbitral
court.
The other class OF disputes being.
OF course. the class most likely to
lead 10 war. comprises those which
are not iusticiable; such as, for In
ariaa Of 0ko