Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-07
WHEN DISARMAMENT WORKED
By Frederic J. HAskin

the King Why. man. you have bought
them OF me already"
Yes. / know have. ard at dear
rate. too; but did IT only TO get thy
good will, not that thought thou
hadst any right to the land
The Interesting fact about Penn's
experiment is that for nearly GEN.
tury II actually worked The Quakers
established themselves 10 the land in
the belief that the Indians were by
nature trusting and friendly, and ac-
cording to tho histories they were jus
tined.
The Indians were used to promises
of Justice from the white men. but they
were not used to the promises being
kept. Penn became known among tbs
Indians as the one white chief who
kept faith with the red men. II IL re-
| corded that the Indian tribes became
| 80 friendly with Penn's settlers that
children who were lost in the woods
around Philadelphia were commonly
directed 10 their homes by the In
! dams.
The old story OK the latchstr.ng.
J, told in many Quaker chronicles, is IL
|. lustrated in one OF Miss Oskley's
!, mural paintings. The latchstring was
left outside at night by Friends as
sign OF welcome 70 anyone who might
be passing. On one occasion q band OF
I Indians or the warpath stopped at .
/ Quaker home and finding the door un-
fastened and the Quaker and bis wife
standing with smiles and greeting
inside, they retreated quietly.
4 Penn's Arbitration System.
e Penn settled disputes between wnits
: settlers and Indians BY a jury OF six
!, settlers and six Indians. which proved
: satisfactory to all concerned. All
through the years, when the Quaker
g government was in effect, there is rec
4 ord Of only three Friends being injured
e in the conflicts between the white
: men and the Indians. 10 is recorded
II that these three. woman and two
z men, lost their faith and sought the
i protection OF forts and arms.
s The Quaker colonists proved srual
TO the high sta ndard Of peace seeking
: set by Perm. But outsiders who came
n into the settlement brought weapons
Ie and trickery. They had trouble with
rs the Indians. Penn did not attempt 20
ri limit his peaceful community 70 Quak-
,e ers and the number Of outsiders grew
When there were more Of the out
siders than Quakers and the ideals q
the Friends were no longer a donns-
y nant force in the community. the con-
y troll was turned over 20 the majority
s. element Swords and guns came intf
o. general use. The holy experiment wal
e, over
ne To most Of us who remember vii
20 liam Penn vaguely as disnined Ole
rs man who made friends with the IN
or dams it is interesting TO recall tina
r he was one Of the most daring ans
a. far-seeing pioneers of our history. II
ed Benjamin Franklin is generally ac
corded the honor OF being the irs
e. TO suggest q union of the American
no colonies. But Penn's writings set fort
ny this proposal--then a radical one.
be Penn is also said to be the first .
ay suggest a parliament OF nations. Bac
ms in 1893. he described an organizatio
which was 20 be something like IN
be Hague tribunal or a modern interna
g- tional conference, at which men {
da different nations were TO gather 20 dis
SO cuss their differences and plan 70
ng their mutual advantage.
in 1t took almost another century "a
the colonies TO come TO the idea
Lad union. Two centuries ella psed before ir
ing ter-larional conferences became popt
ri lar. II may be longer before Penn's ide,
the OF peace is achieved. That Il VIII :
icf.4. we'd IS steadfastly held by rhos
nm. who have faith in Penn as SAGE an
led prophet.