The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-08-13
HOW TO BRING PEACE
TO Be BIG QUESTION
AT FRIENDS MEETING
BY EMMA /. FETTA

LONDON, England, July 2s-To
weigh their historic position against
war and determine its adequacy to
meet the conditions Of reconstruction
$50 American members of the Society
Of Friends are arriving in London as
delegates to the first world confer
ence of their denomination at Devon.
shire house. Aug. 13 to 20.
British Friends in attendance will
number more than 500. Other dele
gates are expected from even remote
Quaker centers in every continent.
Although American Quakers have pro-
NOTED the conference It was first sug-
gested by the British members, who
came in earlier contact with the war
The conference was first called for
August, 1919, but was postponed on
account Of transportation difficulties.
During the meetings questions Of In
ternational relations will be consid-
cred from a social and economic point
OF view. Many Of the American
Friends who have arrived believe too
much stress has been laid on inter-
nationalism.
War In Social Order
THE seeds Of war are to be found
in the social and economic order and
the relations which exist in bread and
butter activities between individuals"
said DR.. Walter C. Woodward, of Rich
mond, editor of the American Friend,
upon his arrival in London.
For more than $50 years Friends
have been known for their funda-
mental position against war, but ap-
plication Of the peace testimony has
been primarily to international rela-
lions which the late war has proved
are not fundamental"
DR.. Woodward characterized the out
standing questions Of the conference
as, If a new order Is to be predicated,
how shall 1t be ushered in, and how
revolutionary shall the implications of
the new order be-"
A draft Of Friendly League of
Nations" has been prepared by sew
eral Of the younger British Friends
for submission to the conference. The
proposed draft suggests a solution of
the economic problems as a basis for
better International relations.
1.-THE Society of Friends has been
solidly in favor of a league of nations
that will abolish war, but l cannot say
what favor the conference will give
this proposed league" said w. Har-
vey Theobald, sponsor of the COM
mittee on peace of the British Society
OF Friends and one Of the best known
Quakers in England. Mr.. Theobald
said the failure of Christian churches
to prevent the recent war showed the
necessity of action toward a world
league.
Peculiar interest Is attached to the
arrival in London of German and Irish
representatives and the proposals they
may make at the conference. They
will come, 1t Is said, with particularly
interesting ideas on the peace prob.
lem, representing peoples who are
tired of endless fighting and disorder
Irish Friends Have Influence.
The Irish Friends are known to
have considerable influence in Ire
land with the two warning parties and
have often been the means of bring
ing together chiefs of the Sim Fein
and Ulster contingents. Recently the
Irish Friends issued an appeal to their
countrymen urging them to reconcile
alton and peace.
Until the war there was little If any
Quaker following in Germny Friends
relief among starving children there
since the war has given rise to new
constituency.
Prominent British Friends with pro
hibition tendencies are disappointed
that in all probability the question OF
a dry England will not come before
the conference. Although the majority
of English Quakers are "teetotalers,'
they refuse to take any aggressive part
in a "Pussyfoot" campaign, contendine
that England Is not ready for com
plete prohibition and that any drastic
efforts in that direction would lead tC
unrest and social disorder. S. Edgar
Nicholson, national organizer of the
American Anti-Saloon league and a
prominent Friend, is expected at the
conference.