New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-04-11
PEACE DELEGATES
TELL OF JOURNEY
WAR DUE MOSTLY TO DESIRE,
OF SOUTH TO PAY OFF AN
OLD DEBT.
STRONG RESOLUTIONS ARE
ADOPTED AT GREAT DEM
.oNsTRATIoN.
IS ARE

DR.. L. "A. Fritsche, F. H. Retziaf and
Albeit Steinhauser who returned Satur-
Day from Washington, D. G. where they
trad attended the peace conference as
the representatives Of the citizens of New
Ulm, are all agreed that the atmosphere
in the Capitol City is hostile to any peace
movement and that nothing that the
peace delegates might have done. would
have swerved the Congressman and
Senators from the war course which they
had probably decided upon many months
ago.
Peace Delegates Report
The delegates from here met the
Minneapolis contingent at Chicago where
they were also joined by peace delegates
from Illinois and Wisconsin. There
were quite a number Of women in the
party. Considerable time was devoted
to a discussion of the position the peace
delegates should take and the resolutions
that should be adopted by the conference.
All We're unanimous in their opposition
war but were divided as to the form
the resolutions should take, the Mime
sofa delegation taking the position that
they were not sent for the purpose OF
presenting program of action in case
war should be declared. Itisa significant
fact, however, that the resolutions as
they were finally adopted at the peace
conference were in the main the reso-
buttons as they were discussed by the
delegates from Minnesota, Wisconsin and
Illinois.
Two Thousand Peace Enjoys
All trains carrying peace delegates
We're late and it was nearly IL o'clock
Monday morning before the New Ulm
delegation reached the headquarters Of
the peace conference. Here they regis
tered, were told where they could get
hotel Accommodations, were decorated
with an arm badge keep Out Of War"
and were told to beson the Capitol steps
by noon for the first peace demonstrate
where speeches favoring peace would
se made. Here is where the peace
advocates, numbering approximately
1900 people, had their first disappoint-
sanent. Not only were there no speeches,
but they were finally ordered off the
Capitol steps, because they had failed
to secure permission from the proper
authority to assemble there. All efforts
to have this order revoked proved UNI
availing, but later in the afternoon Vice
President Marshall gave the delegates
permission to assemble on the Capitol
steps and after short session in the
Convention Hall they returned to the
Capitol grounds and took their positions
on the steps more as matter of protest
to constituted authority than for any
other purpose, because there were no
speeches and the getting together in the
afternoon developed into case of
.watchful waiting into which was in
jected thrill every so often when it was
announced that President Wilson would
that afternoon deliver his message at a
joint meeting of the House and Senate.
AHowever; he did not deliver his message
until 8 o'clock in the evening. While
peace delegates were assembling at
the Convention Hallto listen to speeches
in favor of peace, President Wilson was
reading his message to Congress adj
vocating the adoption of a resolution to
the effect that state OF war exists be-
tween the United States and the I'M
pefial German Government.
War Advocates Exultant
Altho the joint meeting of Congress
should have been a most solemn and
serious one, it nevertheless showed a
spirit and feeling of exultation on the
part of those who favored the entry of
the United States into the world conflict
? IN the side of the Allies. As proof of
this It may be cited that the Chief Justice
of the u. S. Supreme Court, clapped his
hands and laughed joyously when the
President expressed his desire for war
and there were quite number of others
who acted with about the same shameful
lack Of appreciation Of the gravity Of the
occasion.
While this was going on at the Capitol
,,e-ween two and three thousand friends
J Of r.ace had assembled at the Convention
.aaforthe purpose Of listening to peace
and adopting resolutions voicing
.aeir sentiment, on the war proposition.
,One Of the speakers was David Starr
Jordan, former President Of Stanford