THE WORLD COURT A Monthly Magazine for the Creation of a Court of Nations Entered as Second Class Matter, September 16, 1912, at the Post Office at New York WORLD COMMENT A PRIVATE PEACE CONFER T ENCE HE American Peace Society has been studying for some time the views of those interested in the peace program in the United States. After a canvass of some of the leading pacifists, obtaining from them their particular views, and with what program they lined up, the Society has published in a recent number of its magazine, the "Advocate of Peace," a table showing the results of their investigations. In addition to merely securing the views of the various men interested in the peace program a conference of these men is planned in order to devise a minimum program on which to . work in order that the peace program may be carried forward with greater speed and efficiency, and ultimately be more efficacious than could possibly be the work of many individual societies working along their own line and disregarding another's program. there is sure to be diverse views in the ranks and the organization of movements within the great movement. This naturally discounts the effect which the general organization could have and the specific work is retarded. If successful, continuous work is to be had a unification and co-operation of all societies working along at program acceptable to all, must be effected. The Church Peace Union has issued invitation to a private conference, of the officers of the various peace organizations of the United States, such as was suggested by the "Advocate of Peace." The Conference will be held on October twenty-sixth and seventh in the Taylor Chapel of the Broadway Tabernacle, New York City. There will be five and possibly six sessions at which topics for discussion have already been issued. Among them are the "Minimum Program of the Central Organization for a Durable Peace;" "A League of Nations;" "Action of Neutral Nations:" "Non-official Conferences at the Time of the War Settlements;" "Military Training in sources of America in the most effective manner possible. The aim should be to avoid overlapping and duplication of effort and to create some kind of common staff to which shall be intrusted the work incapable of accomplishment by the organizations alone." The Conference which has been called, the results of which will be known before this issue of the WORLD COURT reaches our readers, is the start of a plan of co-operation which should be followed up vigorously. It is to be hoped that other Conferences will be held and the work of the various peace organizations be centered on one feasible plan and each society continue to work along that plan to an end. One of the heavy guns used in the artillery battle now going on on the Somme front. (See World Comment). Schools;" "How to Secure Co-operation of Citizens of Foreign Origin to Show Us the Needs and Aspirations of the Common People in Belligerent Countries;" "The Prevention of Waste of Effort Through Co-operation among Peace Organizations." Among those who will address the Conference are Frederick Lynch, James Brown Scott, George W. Kirchwey, David Starr Jordan, Rev. William Pierson Merrill, and Hamilton Holt. In arranging for this Conference the Society has pursued the policy of the "wide open door." All peace societies are invited to participate and they say "anyone who thinks of other organizations which ought to be invited should report the fact at once to the Washington office of this society." This is one of the first steps towards co-operation. "The Advocate of Peace" says in its article on the Conference: "Those of us who believe in the importance of co-operative effort, and who are genuinely interested in seeing such a conference as herein proposed succeed, should not be too hopeful of immediate results." "The purpose of the conference should be to draw upon the peace re M U-BOAT WARFARE R. ROOSEVELT said recently that "war has been creeping nearer and nearer" and it appears as if this statement was verified when the U-53 under the guidance of Captain Rose crossed the Atlantic and succeeded in destroying five and possibly six ships. U. S. S. "Holland," the first "U-Boat," mother of all undersea craft. Now at Philadelphia. The U-53 made a dash into Newport one Sunday recently and after a stay of three hours dashed out to sea and then we heard of these merchant vessels being sunk. It was thought for a time that the visit of this U-boat carried with it proposals for peace but instead warfare was carried on right under our very noses. It is claimed that the technical requirements of visit, search and provision for the safety of the crew and passengers were observed but it is evident that many persons would have suffered exposure and injury had not the United States destroyer squadron located at Newport answered the wireless calls with expediency. It is to them that the lives of the passengers and crews of the sunken vessels are owed. A huge lumber fire at Hoboken, New Jersey. Much damage and loss of property was done. Two of the boats sunk were neutrals, belonging to the Dutch and Norwegian Governments. The others were British. It is likely that these Governments will protest against the sinking of the two ships and with proper support from other neutral nations their protest may be of some avail. Nothing has been offered as yet to prove that the neutrals carried contra band. An absence of such cargo would class the sinking as piracy. The Allies have already sent a note to the Government urging that we prevent the use of neutral waters for submarine warfare. It will interfere with the operations of United States submarines and warships and in addition to that injure the coastwise trade. It is evident that vessels plying along the eastern coast of the United States will be subject to search and delay and traffic will be endangered and impeded to a large extent. Submarine warfare has been carried too far and the jeopardizing of the lives of American citizens by placing The German mine-layer, UC-5 recently captured by the British fleet in the North Sea. them in open boats on an open sea without visible means of aid is in itself a thing which should be brought up for serious consideration regardless of the damage done to shipping. After the raid the U-53 disappeared completely and it is now unknown whether a submarine base has been established near the coast of the United States or whether this one raid was distinctive in itself. But we should make it plain that American lives and American property must be protected and preserved to the very last. MR. OSBORNE RESIGNS Raising the United States Collier "Hector," which was sunk during a severe storm off Charleston, S. C. R. THOMAS MOTT OSBORNE, the Warden of Sing Sing Prison, has just handed his resignation to the State Superintendent of Prisons, Mr. Carter. In an open letter to Mr. Carter he states his reasons for resigning from the wardenship of this penal institution. He states that the public have been forbidden "what is going on in their own penal institutions, yet this very secrecy which you would enforce is the very thing that made possible the graft and brutality of the old system. . . ." Mr. Osborne Mr. Osborne attacks Governor Whitman, claiming that without whose acquiescence the attacks made upon him, Mr. Osborne, "would never have been initiated or gained headway." He also accuses the Governor of being antagonistic to his policy and alleges that "without the head of the institution being consulted, my office is disorganized." Mr. Osborne has been a most faithful and interested man in prison reform. He has written books on the subject and has investigated penal institutions very thoroughly. His work at Sing Sing has been criticized by many, but the majority have upheld him in the human way in which he has treated the prisoners and have endorsed the Mutual Welfare League which he was instrumental in establishing. The attacks made against him in Westchester County resulted in his vindication and restoration at the prison again as its head. The prisoners have one and all been in sympathy with him and they doubtless realized that they have lost a worthy friend and staunch supporter in Mr. Osborne. In carrying on his work Mr. Osborne has made many sacrifices for the cause of prison reform and has devoted his time and energy to that alone. It is to be hoped that in the selection of another warden for this institution that the Department will be careful to choose a man who will insure the continuance of an honest and humane discipline, which will be administered as a cure for crime rather than to vindicate the state. Scene from the great Yale pageant which celebrated the two hundreth anniversary of the founding of the university. |