PEACE! PEACE! PEACE! was the cry of the great National Peace Congress in New York City. Peace in the POLITICAL world; peace in the industrial and commercial world; peace in ALL THE WORLD.
President Roosevelt's letter to the Congress was a plea for peace and amity among the nations, and at the same time A WARNING AGAINST THE DISARMAMENT of earthly powers as to the danger to the nations if universal DISARMAMENT should become a fact, instead of a theory.
Singular as it may seem, on the very day the President's message was read to the Congress, there was announced the launching of a Japanese battle-ship, built in Japan, in almost, if not quite, record time, which was bigger even than the formidable British Dreadnought; AND THAT WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE CONGRESS, THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY PASSED UPON THE PLANS OF TWO 20,000-TON BATTLE-SHIPS, and the authorization of these immense death-dealing monsters of the sea WAS DUE TO THE PRESIDENT'S URGENCY.
The writer does not refer to these incidents to criticize the President or the government in the least, but simply to illustrate in a striking manner the peculiar paradox of the situation, PERHAPS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ITEM of the whole matter of the peace and arbitration movement! Nor is the United States alone in this gigantic work of building navies or equipping armies. England, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Italy, "the Sick Man of the East," and "the yellow races," are as one, so to speak, in THE PREPARATIONS FOR WAR. The world watches Japan, shrewdly, wisely, and quickly mobilizing the forces of the vastly populated regions of the flowery kingdom—and THE WORLD TREMBLES FOR THE POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS! And it is because of this fear and universal dread and apprehension of what is yet to come, that Peace Conferences and Peace Congresses are rapidly multiplying and progressing upon a scale never before realized.
Mrs. Henry Villard.
Stereograph, Copyright 1907, Underwood & Underwood, New York. Wm. T. Stead, the Noted London Journalist.
Let the reader bear in mind—and as to this there is no controversy—the world is preparing for war upon a scale the magnitude of which can scarce be realized by the human mind.
Peace Conferences Necessary.
Perceiving this, Peace Conferences and their feeble efforts to harness the elements of the terrific destruction that would come as a result of A WORLD WAR, are both natural and necessary. Nor could any one find fault with the organized effort of a Congress of individuals, or wish them other than success in an attempt to "abolish" or even to "regulate" war, or to substitute "arbitration" for "shot and shell." The question remains, can the success in what is sought be secured in this way—by international agreement between nations—without regard to the conditions of HUMAN HEARTS, or the real conditions necessary to UNIVERSAL and LASTING peace!
The President's ONE contribution to the progress of disarmament was a proposal for the "LIMITATION OF DISARMAMENT." Every nation, however, is building the biggest battle-ships that it can, and as to the limit of size, it is governed by harbor and dry dock, and is not fixed BY INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION. No nation will consent now, NOR AT THE HAGUE CONFERENCE EVEN, to have the size of battle-ships it may project limited BY A CONFERENCE of PEACEMAKERS. They have already authoritatively stated as much.
And as there can be no cessation of war without disarmament, and as there can be no disarmament without consent of the nations, and as the nations are in nowise willing to consent to disarmament or even its limitation; and inasmuch as peace after all depends upon the spiritual transformation of the individual and of individuals that "the peace11which passes all understanding" is not, and never can be, a subject of arbitration or international agreement, or war or its danger be eliminated while vast armies and great, floating fortresses are ready for war, and while greed, avarice, lust, and selfishness rule in the hearts of men, how may we expect peace to come—"UNIVERSAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS"? HOW, INDEED? HOW CAN IT COME!
Baron D'Estournelles De Constant, member of the French Senate and of The Hague Tribunal, and the foremost advocate of peace in Europe (and one of, if not the foremost, figures in the New York Congress) referring to the crushing burden of the expense of maintaining ARMED PEACE in the world at our time justly sensed the danger in the following statement made to the Interparliamentary Union in London last summer:
"It is therefore evident that if this state of things (armed peace) is prolonged it will inevitably lead to precisely that cataclysm which we seek to avert, the thought of the horror of which causes the human mind to shudder. To put an end to these incessant armaments, and to seek a means of averting the calamities which threaten the whole world, is the supreme duty which imposes itself on all the States."
The Opening.
The National Peace Conference was formally opened in Carnegie Hall, on Monday afternoon, by Mr. Andrew Carnegie, and almost a thousand delegates were ready to hear the addresses and begin the deliberations of memorable days to follow. In the hall there was a display of everything emblematical of peace. The back of the stage was hung with white material, gold star adorned, with white-bordered silk American flags festooned here and there. In the center a soft electric sign blazoned forth the watchword of the Congress, "Peace," and on the white-draped and flag-hung balconies were shields of David and placards bearing the names of the world's peacemakers of all times, with the single exception of the name of CHRIST, THE PRINCE OF PEACE. And on a shield directly in front of the speakers' stand an inscription epitomized the chief "thought and intent of the heart" of the peacemakers:
Mrs. Frederick Nathan, President of the New York Consumers' League.
"The Parliament of Man"
The meeting was addressed by Secretary of State Root, Governor Hughes, Mayor McClelland, and Mr. Carnegie. Thus did city, State, and nation join in the plea for peace, in the chiefest city of the Western Continent, while the universality of the movement was largely indicated by the fact that far to the south of us, and simultaneously, delegates from the warring Central American governments were gathering for a peace conference to consider the paramount question of international arbitration at Amalpa.
Hon. Oscar S. Straus, Secretary of Commerce and Labor.
Of the More Important Things
I will epitomize as much as possible, and refer briefly to a few of the more striking and characteristic statements of the Conference. Secretary of State Root made a statement which is worthy of remembrance, as follows:
"Let me add a few words of warning concerning your anticipations of what the Second Peace Conference at The Hague is to do. Do not expect too much from it. Such a conference is an agency of peace; not the peace of conquest, but the peace of agreement; not enforced agreement, but willing and cheerful agreement. So far as the nations can go together in such an agreement, the Conference can go, and no further."
In favor of his plan of policing the nations, and securing peace by the decisions of a permanent tribunal, backed up by an armed force, Mr. Carnegie said:
"Before resorting to force it would be well to begin by proclaiming non-intercourse with the offending nation. No exchange of products, no loans, no military or naval supplies, no mails—these restrictions would serve as a solemn warning, and probably prove effective. Force should always be the last resort, but it should be the last."
So, then, it appears, and it would be amusing, if consequences involved were not so serious, the cessation of wars, and the securing of ultimate peace upon the earth is to be accomplished first, BY BOYCOTT; and, if that fails, then BY FORCE—which means WAR!
Further, Mr. Carnegie said: "All speeches, all work, all contributions (of the National Peace Society) are devoted to the ABOLITION OF WAR."
How singularly accurate was the prophecy of Isaiah, so long ago, that "IN THE LAST DAYS" MANY PEOPLE SHOULD SAY: "THERE SHALL BE NO MORE WAR," and in the fulfilment of that prediction to-day we have striking evidence, who can doubt? Indeed, there was a marvelous unanimity of opinion
and of action, in the declaration of "NO MORE WAR." War-drums shall cease to throb and the battle-flags shall be furled! Yet now and then, some bold and intrepid spirit gave the war-cry, spoke of its advantages and merits, and threw a glamor over, and protecting argument for, its mission in civilization! But such an one was inevitably rebuked!
The New York press, with rare exceptions, were united in making the pointed statements that the Congress which was so assiduously working for peace among the nations, did not even possess it among themselves. Then the incongruity of men without it in their own hearts attempting to ORGANIZE PEACE among the nations. "Organized peace," they called it, but peace does not, and can not, come in an organized way alone. Something deeper, truer, must be the mainspring, not only of individuals, but of nations. Organized force, organized means, has, as every student of history must admit, more often cursed the world and brought to it unhappiness, human misery, and bloodshed, than it has blessed it and brought peace and tranquility, happiness and safety, love and established justice!
It was Baron D' Estournelles who pointed out in his Pittsburg speech on "The Organization of Peace," that organization ALONE could never effect the purpose so much desired. The world was well organized to-day, and yet it was bristling with bayonets and spears, and warriors were everywhere preparing implements for the destruction of humankind. Genuine, heartfelt love, the love of brother and the brotherhood of man, love of justice and of mercy and of righteousness, and a sincere desire of peace, could only bring about true results and make the organization for peace really effective. In a word, there was an absolute lack of harmony in the Peace Conference. True, resolutions breathing the very spirit of peace were unanimously passed at last, but not without discord and absence of harmony everywhere noticeable. I may quote from the New York papers to show this lack of harmony:
"Peace Conference Not All Harmony. Dutch Delegate Arouses Storm by His Advocacy of Preparedness for War. Stead Center of Uproar. His Speech at Children's Meeting Cut Off and He Has Lively Tilt with East Siders." —Caption, "New York Times" Article.
Sir Robert Ball, Professor of Astronomy, Cambridge University
"Noted Men's Discordant Views Jar Peace Congress."—N. Y. Journal.
"Lively Tilts at Peace Congress. Delegates in Discord as Conference Continues. Mr. Carnegie Disagrees. President of the Arbitration and Peace Congress is Jarred by President Roosevelt's Letter, and Makes Reply to It.
He also Makes a Sharp Retort to Professor Munsterberg, and Mr. Stead Follows Suit. A Good Deal of Friction Is Noticed."—N. Y. Sun.
"The attack of Andrew Carnegie on President Roosevelt caused a sensation to-day among the delegates to the National Peace conference in session at Carnegie Hall."—N. Y. Evening Journal.
Suffice it to say, your correspondent has not been in any convention of any kind, heretofore, where so much asperity, heated colloquy, and interruptions were to be observed. The Peace Congress, so far as peace related to it, was indeed a failure. The women's great meeting of Tuesday was, perhaps, the only meeting free from heated discussions and difficulties. Even the great banquet at the Astor House was not free from discord. A commotion was caused by certain remarks made by Mr. Van Cleave declaring for WAR in event of the failure of arbitration. The elements of discord were let loose on Sunday of the beginning of the Conference when the Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix, in a public way, declared that war was an ancient and honorable and necessary art, that we were a long way from the thousand years mentioned in the Bible; that even with international peace we should have to contend with internal strife, and finally that people who talked of international peace wasted both time and breath. To this Bishop Potter replied, and the Conference was well launched upon a sea of difficulties.
These differences arose from a difference of opinions as to WAR ITSELF, and not only as to war, but as to the plan for its eradication. Mr. Carnegie and many of the advocates contended for AN INTERNATIONAL POLICE POWER which, of course, would prevent any kind of disarmament, while others—in the minority, I judge—were for a gradual and final complete disarmament of the nations. It was Judge Morrow of San Francisco who quoted the saying: "WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PEACE IF WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT." Indications are that it may take a fight of great proportions to make even an approximate approach to the coveted goal!
Tuesday morning, there was a Women's Peace meeting at Carnegie Hall, A Business Men's meeting at the Hotel Astor, in which leading business men of the continent urged PEACE as the safeguard of commerce, a great Young People's meeting in which thousands of school children took part, and which was addressed by the Baron D'Estournelles and other eminent men. In the evening university professors addressed a mass meeting at Carnegie Hall. At the same time there was a great peace meeting in Cooper Union addressed by Samuel Gompers and other labor leaders, also Rev. Algernon S. Crapsey and Mr. W. T. Stead.
[This report will be concluded next week. The last part is as interesting as the first. The final discussion of the subject will not conclude till God's work is done.]
