The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-30
BOk SEES ADVANCE.
 IN PEACE EFFORTS
Declares His Prize Offers 0p-
 portunity To Americans
 To Take The First Step

NEW YORK, Dec. 29.-Belief that the American peace award will fur- nish the opportunity for "the Amer- lean peoples first step toward world peace" is expressed by Edward W. Box, founder of the award, in the January issue of Our World MT. Box declares that the award has taken the question of our foreign policy out of politics and that the comin s referendum" on the plan selected by the jury of award as the winner of the prize offered by MT. Box will bel a decisive expression of what the red lation of the United States to ths rest of the world is to be.
 The distinct result which the progress of the American peacd award has demonstrated is that the people of this country are far moraI widely and fundamentally interested in the question of the foreign rela-I tions of the United States than fnossl of ts have believed to bs the easel MT. Box says. Not only are the peoa pie interested, but they want to ex-l press themselves. and they desire ts. do this in their own way and through their own channels.
 over 22,ooo American citizens have expressed themselves in thiw way definitely in plans which theyI
  sands-perhaps hundreds of thou- sands-have expressed themselves by1 discussing the plans which theiPl friends or organizations were writin ' and to a degree by collaborating lnI preparing them. One plan sent ind for instance, was the composite ex-I precision of sentiment of 1,5oe per- sons who had met several times anal actively engaged in the preparation of 1t.
 The truth is obvious that when people think and talk of peace in this means by which the peace of the world will some day bo achieved.
 Not only has the widespread in.l terest aroused by the award been most impressive and amazed thou-I sands, but what Is still more Ersti-, flying is the high quality of the plans. making the selection of the wtnninw] plan a task of prodigious difficulty.'1
 Mr. Box tells of the interest beinEI manifested fin the referendum" onl the winning plan to be taken in Jan uary and of the many organizations. newspapers and officials which haval agreed to cooperate in obtaining AI vote.
 "All this unexampled interest xoes to prove one important point: that the subject of the American peace award Is very near to the heart of the American people," he continues They have deep aspiration that something is coming out of the award for this country and for the world. They look upon it as the first direct opportunity for giving tan- gible form and shape to tho hops that America may take it's place and do its share in achieving and pres serving the peace of the world
 "The American peace award has offered the American people a means of getting it's voice to the govern ment: direct open way to Wash ington, as so many termed 1t. It Is the first time in this country, per- haps, that, from coast to coast, the American people will have expressed themselves fully upon a subject or vast importance without the influ- ence of political currents of any kind. This award has taken the question of our foreign policy out of politics. and the millions of citizens now interested in the award will never tolerate it's being turned back into politics.
 "There has been no need for the policy committee of the award to or ganize propaganda or Hobbies. or any kind of underground methods to put over anything. All that the committee shall do-and all that It needs to do-is to submit whatever plan is chosen to millions or citizens throughout hercountry and let them sneak. There Is no doubt that they will speak. and say decisively what is to be the relation of the United States to the rest of the world, look ing toward the prevention of war.
 Tt is the voice of the American people. saving Yes on millions of first decisive step toward world