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Show 75 THE CONGRESS FIRST SESSION "RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT " Monday Afternoon. May 3, at 2 o'clock ORCIIICS'I‘RA HALL HON. ROBERT TREAT I'AINIC, Presiding. The opening session of the Second National Peace Congress was called to order by Rev, jenl<in Lloyd Jones, Chairman of the Executive Committee. The audience rose and joined in singing the opening hymn. after which l'lon. Robert Treat I'aine took the chair. w lh‘ll WM America Should Lead The Second l'Iaguc Conference with its glorious union of all the forty-four nations on earth could not quite agree on the details of the Supreme Court of Nations drafted by Hon. James Brown Scott, to whom was entrusted that great task by our American deputation under the lead of our own Joseph H. Choate. But this world scheme. cannot long be delayed. With the concur rence and support of the powers of the world a scheme will soon be ready. The next step should be to have America speak up and ask the concurrence of the world. How can the men of peace induce America to lead? This is the task and privilege of Chicago. Now let Chicago speak. Let the power of Chicago be felt under a compellingr influence starting from this great series of meetings, Well may we hope that Chicago will incite the power of our Nation to boldly take the Imzl in inducing;r the nations of the world to unite in a scheme of peace which shall banish war. Welcome to the State Mlm‘l HON. ROBERT TREAT PAINE. HON. CHARLES S. DIZNEEN, Governor of Illinois. Some power which the world will hccd must talqe the initiative in proposing peace to the world. \Vc meet here in Chicago in hopes that Chicago will move the United States to take this initiative, for which the whole world waits. Action of this character has in it a little noble audacity. "hen the world was weary of the bloody fight between Japan and Russia. at last America made hold to intervene. Remember how cordially the world approved and how this intervention was sus- tained till at last it triumphed and Peace triumphed over \Var. President lx'tx'tserelt felt the sympathy of the whole civilized world rally behind him in its support. liven so for a long: time the world has condemned the mad policy of war. lx'arc outbreaks of actual war occur, yet all peoples are cumin;r to condemn the folly of perpetually increasing preparation. The cost of this annual burden is bankrupting the nations. The wealth of the world refuses any longer to be wasted. Some nation, some power must take the initiative in proposing, in urging)r a scheme by which peace may banish war. It is a pleasure to me to welcome, in behalf of the people of Illinois, the delegates to the Second National I'eace (,‘ottgress. I can assure you that the interest which is felt by enlightened citizenship all over the world in the progress of the movement which this Congress represents is frilly shared by the citizens of our state, and that whatever may be complished here to realize the objects for which your organization is laboring will be regarded by them as a r‘al contribution to the world's progress. 74 To the citizens of our state, as to Americans general! '. the ideal for which you are laboring, the settlement of international difficulties by arbitration and the consequent doingr away with war, is familiar. It is involved in the principle enunciated by \Vashington for the guidance of our intercourse with other nations, "l'riendly relations with all. entangling alliances with none," and in that declaration of national policy known a< the Monroe Doctrine, which have become perhaps the most lirmly rooted of our national articles of faith and have passed into a tradition of the American people. |
