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The Berne Meeting of the International Peace Bureau. From Our Special CorrespondentSource: The Advocate of Peace (1894-1920), Vol. 73, No. 11 (NOVEMBER, 1911), pp. 248-251Published by: World Affairs InstituteStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20666308 .

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248 THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE. November,

and Egyptian questions. Both are European ques tions?indeed, world questions?the product of the com

mon interests of several powers. In consequence the difficulties to which they may give rise must be removed

by means of agreement. Any other process would be

arbitrary. The Act of Algeciras of April 7, 1906, had as its aim the rectification of the political and financial condition of the Moroccan Empire. To France was en trusted the duty of reestablishing order there. She evi

dently could not fulfill her duty without making use of armed force, and she was, it seems, sole judge of the

military operations which had to be undertaken, or which the Moroccan anarchy forced her to execute. It does not appear to be admissible that one or another of the interested powers was authorized to follow anxiously these operations and to make on its own account a mili

tary intervention with which it had not been charged. The situation would be different if the intervention of France should take on the character of aggression upon the country. But the circumstances did not allow of the interpretation of her military operations in this way. Even if this eventuality appeared probable, it was the

duty of the powers who signed the act of Algeciras to examine the complaint which any one of them might

make and cause the convention to be respected. How ever it may be, a war cannot break out over Morocco. For in whose interests would the armies be conducted to the carnage? The speculators!

The Agadir incident, like so many other vexing ques tions, shows how justifiable are the efforts put forth for the establishment to the widest possible extent of the

method of arbitration. The whole world may felicitate itself on the progress realized in this matter within the year. A generous initiative, undertaken by the United

States, has rapidly gone forward. In December last President Taft proclaimed at a banquet that even ques tions of national honor and disputes concerning the vital interests of nations may be submitted to arbitration ; and on the 3d of August last the United States, France, and Great Britain signed general treaties of arbitration on this basis. That is a victory for the peace move ment?a step of progress both political and social so much the more gratifying as the discussions over the

question raised by Mr. Taft have given rise in different

parliaments, notably in the House of Commons, to thor

ough examination of the critical situation in which human society finds itself at the present time. The limitation of armaments, it has been said, is for civiliza tion a question of life and death, and the best means to realize this necessary end will be to establish, through unlimited treaties of arbitration, international justice and legality on bases so solid that the practice of arbi trariness and violence between the nations will become

impossible. By the Anglo-American and the Franco American treaties there has been constituted a union of the states which repudiate war. This will realize the idea so natural, so perfectly human, that the future of the world is to be an association of nations in place of an aggressive rivalry of nations.

The great Carnegie Peace Foundation, whose estab lishment coincides with the declarations of President Taft, will contribute to the realization of this ideal. It is necessary to bring to light all the elements which

belong to the domain of war and show the profound causes and multiplied effects of each bloody slaughter,

to consider it not only from the point of view of the

belligerent states, but also from the point of view of the others and of all civilization, and then to throw upon this bloody mass the light of morality, justice, and hu

manity. This will give us the true annals of each nation, the lesson of things which will reduce to silence international blusterings and chauvinism, the awaken ing of a human conscience which will dominate the egoisms which do not recoil even from crime. The Car negie Foundation has already begun its activities. Its administrators have established a section on interna tional law, one on political economy and history, and one on international relations and education. The sec ond of these has just held its first conference in the city which is the seat of the Permanent International Peace Bureau. Its extended and practical program is a guar antee that the work of the American pacifist will play a decisive r?le in the development of the new culture whose aim should be to destroy the traditional policy which has come down as the deadly legacy of the past centuries. The Carnegie Foundation for International Peace will justify its name.

The pacifists of the whole world will show their un bounded gratitude to the United States, from which have come the most effective initiatives for the substitu tion of justice in the place of violence.

Berne, September, 1911.

The Berne Meeting of the International Peace Bureau.

From Our Special Correspondent.

The history of the Eome Peace Congress of 1911, which did not occur, was much like that of the Stock holm Peace Congress of 1909, which did not occur. For a month before the date fixed for the Congress the con ditions in Italy, owing to the cholera, had raised doubt as to the meeting in Eome ; but it was not until a fort night before the date that the Congress was definitely given up. This abandonment was presently followed

by a notice of a meeting of the General Assembly of the International Peace Bureau at Berne, September 26 and 27, preceded by a meeting of the Standing Committee or Commission of the Bureau, September 25. About one hundred of the leading peace workers from different countries gathered at Berne for the meeting.

Among those present were the following members of the Commission : Mme. la Baronne de Suttner, M. Henri La Fontaine, M. Emile Arnaud, M. le Dr. A. Gob?t, M. le Dr. Jules Ducommun, M. J. Alexander, M. le Baron Cari Carlsson Bonde, M. le Dr. George Bovet, M. le Dr.

William Evans Darby, M. A.-H. Fried, M. Fredrik

Green, M. le Directeur Fr. K?m?ny, M. Gaston Moch, M. Felix Moscheles, M. Edwin D. Mead, M. Bucher

Heller, M. le Dr. Mlsson, M. le Professeur Quidde, M. le Dr. Adolphe Eichter, M. Th. Euyssen, Mme. Ziper nowsky.

Others present were : Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Ginn, Mrs.

Mead, Mrs. Andrews, Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Nicholson, U. J. Ledoux, from the United States; from England, Norman Angell, Carl Heath, F. W. Fox; from France, Jacques Dumas, M. Prudhaummeaux ; from Germany, Dr. Arthur West Phaal, the new secretary of the German

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1911. THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE. 249

Peace Society, and Professor Kauterkroft, of Turin, Italy.

The feeling of disappointment at the abandonment of the Congress was keen and widespread. It was gener ally felt that when it became clear that the meeting at Borne was impossible arrangements should immediately have been made for the regular meeting of the Congress elsewhere, and notice instantly sent everywhere. Strong efforts were made to bring this about, but in the con fusion the project failed. Mr. Mead, the one American

member of the Bureau present at Berne, took this mat ter up at the first meeting, and secured a unanimous vote

providing that always hereafter, in the event of the im

possibility of holding the Congress at the place ap pointed, it shall be held at the same time at Berne itself. There will, therefore, be no more such embarrassments as resulted from the Stockholm and Borne situations, and delegates from America and elsewhere may hereafter go to the Peace Congresses in secure confidence that if a

Congress does not meet in one place it will meet in Berne at the appointed time.

The compensation, in a measure, for the abandonment of a Congress?this was realized at Berne this year, as at Brussels in 1909?is in the fact that the smaller num ber actually gathering for the General Assembly of the Peace Bureau consists of those most earnestly and in

telligently interested in the work, and no time is wasted in vague, rhetorical, or useless talk. In the three days'

meetings at Berne, morning and afternoon of each day, the discussions were of distinct and high value, and

much was accomplished. The meetings were held in convenient rooms in the beautiful new Casino, and the social side had good satisfaction in the luncheons of the

members together on the Casino terrace overlooking the

river, the beautiful green hills, and the snow-clad peaks of the Bernese Oberland in the distance, and in the ban

quet on the last evening, at which Dr. Gobat presided, and brief speeches were made by representatives of the different countries, Edwin Ginn speaking for the United States. It will be of interest to Americans to know that Mrs. Fannie Fern Andrews, secretary of the American School Peace League, was elected a member of the In ternational Peace Bureau. It was settled that the Con

gress will meet in Borne March 21-28, 1912, and it is to be hoped that as that is a very beautiful time of the year in Italy there will be a really important American dele

gation. It is impossible here to report or even outline the

various discussions at the Berne meeting, but the follow

ing summary of the reports presented by the Secretary of the Bureau and of the various declarations and resolu tions adopted will indicate the scope and spirit of this

important gathering : The twentieth annual report assures us that through

the reception of the Nobel Prize last December the Peace Bureau has been put on a permanent footing, relieved from the anxieties of the past, and enabled to begin the

reorganization of its work in a more adequate way than heretofore.

The annual meeting of the Bureau in 1910 was held at Stockholm, August 1, 1910, under the presidency of Senator La Fontaine. Fifty-six peace societies and

groups were represented by delegates. The Standing Commission of the Bureau held its spring meeting at Berne on the 12th and 13th of May last. The local

Committee of Seven having charge of the executive work had held four meetings. The honorary secretary of the Bureau, Dr. Gobat, had proposed to the various peace societies, as requebted, a plan for a federation of the societies, but the subject required further study and correspondence.

The resolutions of the Stockholm Peace Congress had been only in part executed, on account of the unavoid able delay in the publication of the report. The reso lution relative to Maritime Law had been sent to Presi dent Taft, and those on International Instruction had been communicated to the pedagogical reviews.

For lack of means at the proper time the Annuaire of the Bureau had not been published for the year, though a revised edition of that of the previous year had been sent out as an annex to the Correspondance Bimensuelle.

The Correspondance Bimensuelle had been enlarged, more space had been given in its pages to quotations from leading reviews, and to important debates in various parliaments.

The Commission on Armaments had addressed a letter in March last to all the governments, calling attention to the action of the United States Congress in author

izing the appointment of a Commission to study the pos sibility of a limitation of armaments, and urging that the other governments take similar action. Only a few of the governments had responded, and the effort had

apparently produced but little effect. The report showed that the International Fund for

Peace Propaganda had not developed much, and that little interest had been taken in it in most countries.

The report closed with an expression of gratification at the rapid progress which the Peace Movement is

making in general. The treasurer's report showed that the ordinary re

ceipts of the Bureau for the year had been 13,775.89 francs and the expenses 11,425.72 francs. The capital of the Bureau, including the amount received from the Nobel Prize, had risen to the sum of 239,500 francs.

The report of the secretary, Dr. Gobat, on the events of the year bearing upon the subject of war and peace is given in full on another page. The following resolu tions were adopted after thorough consideration and ex tended discussion:

Eesolutions.

I.

The delegates of the peace societies of various coun

tries, meeting at Berne 26th September, 1911, recalling that in the general act of the Treaty of Berlin, signed 16th February, 1885, fourteen States, among them being France and Germany, expressed their desire not only to settle in "a spirit of mutual good understanding" all questions affecting the development of commerce and civilization in certain regions of Africa, but also "to

prevent misunderstandings and conflicts which might be aroused in future by fresh occupations of territory on the coasts of Africa"; that the third article in the

program of this Congress, presented by France and Ger

many themselves, provides as follows: "Definition of the formalities to be observed in order that fresh occu

pations of territory may be deemed effective"; that the first regulation under articles 34 and 35 of the final act

provides "that every act of taking possession or acquisi

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250 THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE. November,

tion of territory on the coast of the African continent

by one of the signatory powers outside its present pos sessions, also every protectorate, must be accompanied by a notification addressed to the other signatories, in order to enable them to establish any claims which they may have to make"; that article 12 of this act provides as follows: "In case any serious difference with regard to or within the limits of the territories mentioned in the first article and placed under the regime of commer cial liberty should arise between the signatory powers of the present act or powers which may subsequently adhere to it, these powers bind themselves before appealing to arms to have recourse to the mediation of one or several

friendly powers. In the same case the same powers re serve to themselves the option of having recourse to ar bitral procedure"; and

That, finally, the provisions of the act of Berlin were

expressly "recognized by the signatory powers as hence forth forming part of public international law":

Considering that, in the final act of the second Inter national Peace Conference, signed at The Hague the 18th of October, 1907, the powers represented, among which were Germany and France, were unanimous :

"1. In recognizing the principle of obligatory arbi tration ;

"2. In declaring that certain differences, especially those relating to the interpretation and the application of stipulations contained in international treaties, are

suitable to be submitted to obligatory arbitration without

any restriction" ; That it results, if not strictly from the letter, at least

from the spirit of these provisions, that Germany and France had long since engaged finally to settle their difficulties with regard to Morocco and Africa by media tion or arbitration;

That, in conformity with the spirit of advanced civil ization of these two nations, their governments have no

longer the right of making war to establish their re

spective claims :

Becalling also that the Act of Algeciras had placed Morocco under the joint protection and control of the

powers ; Express their regret that the governments of Germany

and France should not, from the very first, have recog nized publicly and formally, in conformity with the re

quests made to them by the pacifists of both countries, that their difference with regard to Morocco could not lead to war, but would be submitted, in case of failure of diplomatic negotiations, to mediation or arbitration. The governments would thus have fulfilled one of their essential duties by saving their nation from serious ex

penses, grave anxiety, and ruinous losses.

II. The delegates of the peace societies request the gov

ernments interested to insert in whatever treaties may be concluded on the subject a provision that all diffi culties relative to Morocco, to Africa, and to colonies and protectorates in general, which are not settled by diplomatic methods, shall be submitted to the permanent court of arbitration at The Hague.

III.

The delegates protest against the mystery with which

diplomacy surrounds its negotiations and against its in

complete or biased communications. They express the

desire that official communications with regard to diplo matic negotiations should be supplied as frequently as

possible, so as to keep the nations informed with regard to facts which are of essential interest to them, and thus to avoid false news, which only serves the interests of

speculators of every kind. IV.

The delegates energetically condemn the action of the men who have sought to bring about war, whether on behalf of their own personal interests or in the name of a false or misconceived patriotism, and have not scrupled to employ calumny and insult against the authorities who did not serve their designs. They protest against the abuse, under such circumstances, of the national

honor, which should, on the contrary, dictate respect of the nation's signature affixed to previous treaties.

V.

The delegates congratulate the organizers of the nu merous manifestations against war which have taken

place. They appeal to all well-disposed persons to en sure that pacifist demonstrations of public opinion should always and everywhere be arranged when an in ternational conflict is threatened. They have observed with lively satisfaction on this occasion the emphatically pacific spirit of the peoples. The proof thus afforded of the power of public opinion entitles it at once to de

mand the international organization of a condition of

peace and perfect security. VI.

The delegates would earnestly impress upon the dif ferent nations the necessity of suppressing, by consti tutional laws, the right of sovereigns or heads of States to decide upon war.

VII.

Recognizing that the high cost of living is largely due to military charges, which are themselves the cause of taxes and customs duties; that both military charges and customs barriers arise from the spirit of interna tional intolerance, animosity, and envy:

The delegates urge the nations to call upon their gov ernments to carry out the resolution adopted by them at The Hague with regard to the need of limiting and

reducing the excessive military expenses which bear upon taxpayers.

VIII.

The delegates of the peace societies greatly regret the refusal by various countries to entertain the proposal made by the United States of America that each gov ernment should appoint a commission for the study of a possible limitation of military expenditure.

They recall that the proposition adopted by the Amer ican Congress had for its object the creation of an Amer ican commission, and they urge that such commission be appointed, being convinced that the work done and the. reports published by it would encourage the other

governments to appoint similar commissions and to co

operate in the work initiated by the Government of the United States.

They urge the members of the Interparliamentary Union to move their respective governments to give fresh

replies of a favorable character. They recall the unani mous resolutions adopted by the plenipotentiaries at The

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1911. THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE. 251

Hague declaring "that it is eminently desirable that the

governments should undertake afresh the serious study of the limitation of military expenditure."

IX.

The assembly of the representatives of the peace socie ties of the world at Berne, September 26, expresses its

profound gratitude to the President of the "United States for his effort to conclude unrestricted arbitration treaties with Great Britain, Prance, and other nations. These treaties are the promise of a new era in arbitration and the development of international justice. Their failure in any degree, after the high hopes which the promise of their adoption has raised throughout the world, would be a serious blow to human progress. We respectfully and earnestly petition the American Senate and people to remember that at this critical juncture they are the custodians not only of the special interests of the United

States, but also of the general welfare of the family of nations. No unessential political considerations should be permitted to defeat or menace the broad purpose of President Taft ; and we appeal to the American Govern ment and people with the greater confidence in remem brance of their advanced positions at The Hague confer ences and in the whole history of international arbitra tion.

The Tripoli Embroglio.

I.

The General Assembly of the Berne Bureau, deeply concerned about the risks of war which have just arisen between Italy and Turkey, in regard to Tripoli;

Considering that Tripoli is neither an uninhabited

territory nor a minor State, but that it belongs to a con stitutional State admitted into the family of nations,

Expresses its indignation at the nationalist activities which may bring the Italian government to acts of hos

tility of the usual order; and

Implores the people and the government of Italy to resist the excitation to war and to keep the development of their national policy and the maintenance of their

special interests in Africa within the limits of law, and

expresses the strong hope that, in case of conflict, they will make it a point of honor to have recourse to the

pacific methods of mediation, arbitration, or interna tional conference.

II.

A. The assembly notes that the Tripolitan trouble which has just arisen is the natural consequence of the

egoistic policy which has generally been followed by the civilized powers in dealing with weak or small peoples, and in particular by France and Germany in regard to

Morocco.

B. It expresses once more its condemnation of the

policy of grab by virtue of which the powers seek to re

establish, at the expense of neutral and weak peoples, the political equilibrium which has been broken by the territorial acquisitions*of others.

C. It expresses regret that France and Germany have allowed themselves to be led by circumstances to aban

don, with common accord, the solid ground of interna tional pacific agreement established by the Act of Alge ciras.

John Bright, Advocate of Peace.

By Rev. F. Stanley Van Eps.

A hundred years ago there was born in England, on November 16, of Quaker parents, a man who was des tined to be one of the greatest of the world's advocates of peace?John Bright. It has been a wonderful cen

tury?truly "an age on ages telling." Sometimes it seems as if almost all that makes for the comfort and the convenience of our earthly life has come within this period: the discoveries and inventions that have revolutionized industry, the democracy that has changed government and society, the commercial ^development that has brought the whole human race into brother hood, the missionary activity that has brought civiliza tion and spirituality to all the world.

The Bright family can be traced back to 1684, two years later than Penn's founding his colony of Friends in America, embodying the principles of peace in gov ernment and in dealing with the Indians and other

people of the region. Originally of the Established

Church, the family early joined the Society of Friends, numerous in Wiltshire, in which region of England we first find the family. Coventry became the home of Abraham Bright and his Jewish wife, after living years in Lyneham. Their son William's son Jacob was John

Bright's grandfather. This Jacob married Martha

Lucas, and of their eight children Jacob, John's father, was the youngest. Jacob came to Rochdale in 1802 as a book-keeper in a mill, and in 1809 he took an old mill and established the business that has ever since contin ued in the family. John's mother was Martha Wood, the second wife of Jacob. There were eleven children, John being the second. In that home, filled with the sweet spirit characteristic of the Friends, in which sim

ple living and noble thinking and doing prevailed, John imbibed the principles which ever dominated him, and learned to practice them along with both his parents in

daily life. They were both persons of rare excellence. His schooling was received at home, in a cottage fitted

up as a school, at Ackworth, at York, and at Newton. At fifteen he left school and entered his father's busi ness. He was certainly not a school-made man?not a

university man ; but he was an educated man in all that is truly excellent in the development of character. He was fond of reading, and remembered what he read. The Bible and Milton were lifelong favorites, influenc

ing his life, his thinking, and his style in speaking and

writing. It is easy to see why he was, as a prominent Non

conformist minister said to me a year ago, "a sort of conscience for the nation." The very life of the Friends?that mystical life of fellowship with the Spirit, that embodying of eternal principles in actual daily life and work?he found in the home in which he was born, and in himself awaiting development. He had the im measurable advantage of such a beginning.

As a boy he came into contact with the conditions in which the people all about him lived?or existed. On his plastic personality were made impressions that never left him. He got his facts at first hand as a boy. He could not help thinking as he saw what he saw and heard what he heard. Those were times of suffering, and the causes were not far away and in clear sight.

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