OCR Text |
Show 79 Welcome to the City of Chicago EDGAR A. l.l.-\N(‘R<)lv‘T. irritant MR. Cn/mmAN AND DE! 1 's 'ro 'l'Ill'. SiiCoNn NA'l‘lthAl. l‘mci; Cow; ‘ss-Lannas AND (iliN'l'HTMICNZ At the. request of Mayor Busse. and in his name. l extend to you, on behalf of the City of Chicago, most eordial welcome. You have not chosen this citv as your meeting place because of its quiet and peaceful air. I trust you have not selected it because of its need of pacifiv cation. The purpose of this Congress, 1 take it, is not to abolish conflict between either individuals or nations. but to lift all those conflicts from the brutish and physical level to the mental and moral plane. Chicago. in its brief life. typifies this upward progress of the race. Man's original struggle was to maintain life; first. by rude means and hard toil, to compass the bare necessities. and later. by skill and less toil. to gain more of eoinftn‘t and joy. .\s mind came to play a larger part in the battle of existence, mental cxercises and pleasures entered more and more into life. Slowly and by infinite pains the endeavor was not so much to protect the body and escape things feared hunger and cold and death-as to develop the intellect and obtain things desired knr'iwledge. mental power and the joys of a finer and higher living. So Chicago has achieved all that industry and enterprise and per si tence and courage have ever done for material enlargement. She has won the fierce battle for predominant commercial and industrial power in the heart of this continent; she has lifted her- self out of this swamp corner of the lake and laid abiding foun< dations of material greatness in its sands. But her pride is not in these. because these have in them to self-preserving and self» perpetuating power, Her pride is in her schools of learning and art. in her public museums and parks and playgrounds, her intelligent and patriotic artisans and artists, and above all-he- cause the creator of all-in the alert and generous public spirit and ambition of her citizens. For them. and to them, Chicago bids you welcome. lt wishes the stimulus and encouragement, the larger hope. of a congress of men and women who give sympathetic ears to the still, sad music of humanity; who love peace because war is brutal and inhumane, and lays burdens upon the souls of men as well as upon their lives and property. we meet not with any notion that all contest and struggle are to end, and that we can soon bringr in the age of the Golden Rule. Why should nations be less humane and intelligent and fair than are its citizens? Their contests. far more than between individ- uals, should he fought out with those fine and subtle weapons of mind and judgment and conscience, and with better and kindlier and more chivalrous motives than have yet inspired even the wars called glorious. VV'hen wars between nations end. the cessation of blood and carnage is not the last phase; but the results of the struggle are definitely determined by unarmed men in the deliberations of the conference room. Why should not such deliberations precede the appeal to arms, and thus prevent it? You come as ambassadors of humanity. as students of the vital forces of civilization, to con. sider means for ending the wastefnlness of war, the social. commercial and individual demoralization; and to give to the restless and aspiring energies of youth ideals of peace that challenge and reward. beyond all military conflicts. deeds of chivalry and high emprise. Therefore Chicago gives you hearty welcome and joins with you in seeking the humane and uplifting battles and victories of peace. Welcome by the Reception Committee REV. A. Eurazxic iAR'I‘LP 'r, CHAIRMAN. Comrades, journeying toward the land of eternal peace. l hail and greet you. Good travelers oft stop upon their journey to make inquiry as to the roads that lie before them. So we with the best of judgment are pausing here in this city of the Central West, to take counsel together concerning the way that lies before us ere we reach that fair land of brotherly love and abiding peace. The reception committee of which l have the honor to be the chairman has done what it could to add to your comfort and con- venienee. I remember visiting the little church on the Island of Marken, that lies like an emerald on the Zuyder Zee, and finding the seats in that church of the fishermen numbered with such large figures that a man going to church could see, if the with |