Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1948-02-01


melancholy reflections on the in
significance of human fate and the
brevity of human life, enabled him
to regard himself critically and
effectively as though standing
outside his own experiences. His
kind heart, which also during his
lifetime revealed itself in numer-
Gus charities, and his wide cultural
interests combined to make him a
philanthropist.
That other side of his nature
which could not be satisfied with
his work found a magnificent eX-
preston in his requests to science,
literature, and peace amounting
in all to more than thirty billion
kronor.
1t was especially the cause of
peace that occupied him during
his later years. He had long been
friend of Frau Bertha Won SUIT
tner, who had in fact been en-
gagged as his secretary, although
her marriage prevented her from
entering upon her duties. When in
1889 she published her startling
book Die Waffen nieder, he be-
gan a discussion with her on the
peace cause. He had no faith in
her schemes for effecting dis
armament or settlement by arbi-
tration, but in the course of their
discussion he formulated an idea
which may be regarded as the
prototype of the League of Ma
tions.
He thought all governments
ought to form a compact by vir-
tue of which they would agree
to defend an attacked country and
make common cause against the
aggressor. This league of states
should maintain standing army,
and with the greater security that
would result from this protection,
the separate nations would reduce
their ornaments.
This subject is discussed in a
letter written in French, October
Is, 1892. to Belgian pacifist: Il
am beginning to believe that the
only true solution will be a COM
pact by which all the governments
obligate themselves to collectively
defend every country attacked.
Such a treaty will lead little by
little to a partial disarmament, in
fact the only one possible, be-
cause it is necessary that there
should be an armed force to main
tain order
He continues to develop the idea
in a letter written to Bertha Won
Suttner in November of the same
year: They will say: Anything
will be better than war. They will
even accept the frontiers as they
exist, and will declare that he
who attacks will have against him
the whole European coalition.
Peace, assured by the force of COL
lective armies, imposing respect
on the disturber, will soon re-
lieve the tension, and year by year
the strength of the different arm
les will timidly but surely dimin-
ish."
In a letter of January 1898 he
mentions for the first time that
he is thinking of founding peace
prize. 1t would seem from this
that his first idea of a permanent
endowment had relation to the
cause of peace. When he firmly
decided to donate the greater part
of his fortune to public uses, his
scientific and other cultural in
terests had asserted themselves.
He did not believe that an indivi-
dual was benefited by a large for
tune. the possession of which
tended to dry up the most valu-
able part of a personality, the
power of action.
On November 81, 1895, Nobel
wrote his last will and testament.
He decreed that, after various
legacies had been deducted the
residue of his estate should be
made into a fund. the interest of
which was to be divided into five