World Affairs Institute The Chicago Peace Convention Author(s): Graham Taylor Source: The Advocate of Peace (1894-1920), Vol. 77, No. 4 (APRIL, 1915), pp. 95-96 Published by: World Affairs Institute Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20667192 . Accessed: 21/05/2014 01:39 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . World Affairs Institute and Heldref Publications are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Advocate of Peace (1894-1920). http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 91.229.248.189 on Wed, 21 May 2014 01:39:22 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Transcript
World Affairs Institute
The Chicago Peace ConventionAuthor(s): Graham TaylorSource: The Advocate of Peace (1894-1920), Vol. 77, No. 4 (APRIL, 1915), pp. 95-96Published by: World Affairs InstituteStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20667192 .
Accessed: 21/05/2014 01:39
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
.
World Affairs Institute and Heldref Publications are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extendaccess to The Advocate of Peace (1894-1920).
http://www.jstor.org
This content downloaded from 91.229.248.189 on Wed, 21 May 2014 01:39:22 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
And, clad in glitt'ring garb of hell, Fare forth to fearful fields of strife?
Unholy hands to Thee we lift In this dread time of woe and sin;
Grant Thou our inmost hearts to sift
And burn to dust the chaff within!
In wrath forget not mercy, Lord; O bid the wars of men to cease;
Melt by Thy love each bloody sword, And lead us forfh in paths of peace!
Mabietta, Ga.
The Chicago Peace Convention. By Graham Taylor.
Probably no better account of the peace conference held in Chicago, February 27 and 28, 1915, could be found than that prepared by Graham Taylor, director of the Chicago School of Civics and Philanthropy. It
appeared in the Chicago Daily News, and is reproduced here practically in full:
CHICAGO INITIATIVE IN THE PEACE CAUSE.
Just such.a representative gathering never assembled anywhere else as rallied here last Saturday and Sunday at the call of Chicago's "emergency federation of peace forces." Soon after the war broke out a few of our citi zens felt that Americans should get together, for their own sakes if not for the sake of the world at war, to lay new foundations for peace. They met informally, and finally risked calling upon presumably interested organi zations to send delegates to confer upon what might be done.
Emergency Federation of Peace Forces.
In response to this call a surprisingly varied group met, repre'senting political clubs, educational institu tions, suffrage associations, the Single Tax Club, the Chicago Federation of Labor, women's clubs, the City clubs, the Women's Trade Union League, the churches, and the Socialist party, as well as peace societies. After holding some public meetings at which a tentative pro gramme for constructive peace was submitted for public approval, this emergency federation took the further risk of calling a national conference at Chicago,
Bodies of citizens everywhere were invited to send delegates ffeelv to confer on what nation-wide concerted action could be taken in the interest of international peace. Those convening the conference were not a little anxious as to the number and representative character of those who would assemble. But when the registra tion cards were gathered, about 300 men and women were found to have come from many States and cities, all the way from New England to the Bocky Mountains. They represented commercial interests at the East and the National Socialist Party headquarters here at the
West, newspapers, and more than thirty colleges, fra ternal orders and federations of labor, women's clubs and State and city governments, native Americans and foreign-born citizens from many lands, peace societies,
and churches of different faiths. Chicagoans were a small but influential minority. Jane Addams was' chosen to preside over the permanent National Peace
Federation, and Louis P. Lochner was made secretary, with headquarters at 116 South Michigan avenue.
With Malice Toward None, Loyalty to All.
While people of station were conspicuous by their ab sence, both from the delegation and the audiences, yet all who gathered were impelled to come by the highest purpose and the sturdiest resolve to do what could be done to assure the peace of our country and to promote its peace-making influence in the world. Not a word of
partiality for any country at war or a word of discrimi nation against any warring nation escaped the lips of
any one present. Nothing but the friendliest apprecia tion of each and all the peoples engaged in fateful fratri cidal strife was expressed. The losses of life and treas ure, of skill and product, suffered by each of them were accounted a loss to this country and the world. On our own account, as well as theirs, for the sake of every na tion and all peoples, therefore, protest was entered
against the further waste and ruin of the war. Only now and then were its gruesome scenes and dreadful suf
fering alluded to, and then only by those who had either witnessed them or had suffered the loss of friends. Ger mans and Austro-Hungarians voiced the acute concern which true patriots of all nations cannot fail to feel over the desperate plight to which all their fatherlands are
being driven by the terrible exigencies of this unprece dented warfare.
The speeches and discussions, which continued for two
days, were able yet humble; very serious without being at all hysterical, squarely faced the extraordinary com
plications of the situation, yet undauntedly advocated national action. Edward A. Filene, the Boston mer chant, thought that the public sentiment for peace which
might be expressed by the American people would surely and quickly react upon the warring peoples through their representatives in this country. The Hon. John A. Ayl ward urged the Wisconsin plan for the mediation of the neutral powers, without armistice between the battling armies. The United States Commissioner of Education, Dr. Philander P. Claxton, asserted preparation for pe&ee to be consistent with the spirit of democracy and that
preparation for war is impossible for any democratic peo ple. Morris Hillquit, national committeeman of the Socialist Party from New York, insisted that interna tional peace can be based only upon social justice within the nation and gave human tone to the divine command, "Thou shalt not kill." Hamilton Holt, of the Inde pendent, and Mr. and Mrs. Edwin D. Mead, of Boston, out of their long and world-wide experiences in the peace propaganda, spoke with unwavering confidence in its ul timate triumph. Women's voices rang out their new
challenge to the old civilization based upon war. Mrs. W. I. Thomas demanded a civilization worthier of the motherhood and the childhood of the race. Jane Ad dams patiently, skilfully, constructively guided the con ference toward concerted action.
For Conference of the Neutral Nations.
Assured that no overture for peace could be expected from any nation at war, the only mediation hoped for was in the mediating action of the neutral nations. Eec
This content downloaded from 91.229.248.189 on Wed, 21 May 2014 01:39:22 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
ognizing the wisdom of the attitude of neutrality so
carefully maintained by President Wilson, but believing that the time had come for calling a conference of neu tral nations, the delegates unanimously petitioned the Government of the United States to call a conference of the neutral nations of the world to confer respecting the cessation of hostilities. With armistice if possible, with out it if necessary, without the specific permission of the warring powers, but in such a way as not to endanger the neutrality of the neutral nations, their conference would constitute a voluntary court of continuous mediation, at least as long as the war should last. Suggestions for set tlement should be invited from each warring nation, based upon the reasonable proposals that peace must not mean humiliation for any nation, and that it must not involve compromise which might result later in a re newal of the war. This petition was committed to a delegation headed by Miss Jane Addams to present to the President of the United States and the United States Senate.
Peace Proposals for Nation-wide Discussion.
A nation-wide discussion of the following platform for peace was invited:
A concert of nations to supersede "the balance of power" in their foreign' policies; an international court for the settlement of all disputes; an international con
gress to legislate and administer international affairs; an international police force and the embodiment in in ternational law of non-intercourse as the principle sanc tioning and enforcing international obligations.
Gradual reduction and final abolition of national ar maments by the agreement of a sufficient number of na tions, or nations of sufficient power, to insure protection to those disarmed, such reduction to be graduated in each nation according to the degree of disarmament ef fected in other nations, the manufacture of armaments for private profit to be prohibited and the export of
munitions of war to be directly under government con trol'. To this plank was added the resolution that?
"Whereas the experience of Europe has demonstrated that increased armaments and preparedness for war cannot give national security, but lead logically and inevitably to war, therefore this conference protests against the present untimely agitation in our country for increased preparation for war, which increase would be viewed in certain quar ters as a menace, and would tend to forfeit that confidence
which is our highest credential for peaceful offices and mediation."
Protection of private property at sea and of neutral commerce and communication to be secured by neutral izing the seas and such maritime trade routes as the
Dardanelles, the Panama and Suez canals. Inequitable trade barriers and other more fundamental causes of war to be aimed at by national and international action. The principles of self-government and of universal adult
suffrage to extend and reinforce the democracies of the world. No province to be transferred from one govern ment to another without the consent of the population of such province. Unless ratified by the representatives of the people, no treaty, alliance or other arrangement should be entered upon by any nation. There should be treaties for securing delay before commencing hostilities and adequate machinery should be creating for insuring democratic control of foreign policies.
Outraging the Universal Sense of Humanity.
These demands for peace are based upon the universal injustice of war. Nations are so interdependent in the organization of modern society that it is no longer possi ble for two nations to wage war without imposing suffer ing on all other nations and outraging the universal sense of humanity. No nation can declare war upon another nation without thereby in some measure declar ing war upon all other nations.
Peace on Earth.
(An exercise suitable for schools, Sunday Schools, and Christian Endeavor societies for May 18.)*
By Jane A. Stewabt.
(Six boys and six girls take chief part in this. Each car ries a silver wand, to the upper end of which is fastened a wreath of white (paper or real) flowers surrounding a large silver letter to form the motto "Peace on Earth." The chil dren enter one at a time. Each advances with light, spring ing polka step, boys and girls alternately. While singing, they take steps and wave the wand to music. At the third line of each stanza a courtesy is made.)
First Boy (carrying letter P) (air, "Buy a Broom") * sings: P stands for Peace Day; we welcome glad Peace
Day! P stands for Peace Day; oh, happy are we!
(Bowing) With a bow to the right, sir, and a bow to the left, sir,
Come now and unite in a Peace Jubilee!
Chorus (by the school, to the refrain of "Buy a Broom") :
