INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 100, 29 April 1898, Page 3

INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION.

DISCUSSED BY THE WOMEN'S

NATIONAL LEAGUE,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day

At yesterday's- meeting of the National Council of' Women Mrs Shepherd, vacated the chair in order to read a paper by Miss Bfiin on " International Arbitration." She declared Avar to be a savage, costly, and futile meMiod of settling disputes, and hostile tp universal brotherhood, Avhich is essential to progress. She referred to the movement in the Far East, and, speaking of, the AmericanSpanish Avar, she challenged the argument that Avar plight) be good for trade. She said the earth had long been a dungeon for the mass of mankind, though it was the, rightful home of every individual born into it.. It Avonld be a paradise Avhen the brute man Avpuld yield to divide.. The Powers Avere increasing their armaments, Avhile various causgstppd^d to lessen mutual animosities, sbbjaiistio or commujusticl. The thought Avas spreading that some day the people would rise in their strength and refuse to.. light or pay Avar taxes. The PoAvers dreaded the consequences of Avar. /When the Avhole nation Avent frantic because some of Its Avar secrets Avere revealed and confined an apparently innocent man in an iron cage on a malarious island, it Avas hoped that social disparities Avould some day become so. great that mankind Avould return to the true mode of life. There was now the spectacle of a great and noble country taki^K' pity on the victim of mediawal despotism, but, believing that it cannot help its unhappy neighbours without slaughtering subordinates of that despotism, committing one barbarity to prevent another, dooming its own ardent youth to sanguinary infernos, involving, it may be, the whole world in ruinous conflict, and arousing international hatreds which. centuries may not efface. Distress existed in Spain, and destitution in the United States. Some States, in spite of the hopeful developments of the nineteenth century, an effetei 'monarchy, and a lusty republic, plunge into Avar expenditure. America charged Spain withhorrible lhisgovernment. Spain/retorted by accusing America of hypocrisy. Were the United States even now to initiate a cpncert of peoples instead of the Powers tlie Avrong would cease. No human force Avas equal to the mass pf public opinion. In conclusion she moved " That the National Council of Women of NeAv Zealand. deplores the' continuous growth of armament? throughout the world. It sees that people are crushed by eA'er increasing military expenditure, and that they are alienated from each other by the rivalries of their respective rulers. The Council deprecates any project likely to involve Australasia in participation of Avarfare, and strenuously protests against an Imperial consideration of these colonies as a recruiting ground for European militarism."

:Mrs Wells also read a paper on "Costof Armaments and Wars." •- . - -

Mrs Blake ■'-moved- to/add '"That, the intervention of a great: PoAver on behalf of an oppressed nation struggling for freedom against cruel AA-rong is justifiable." ».■ The aipendment Avas negatived, and the motion agreed tp; '■ . ■ - :