GREAT PEACEMAKERS

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8178, 3 May 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

GREAT PEACEMAKERS

MEN WHO HAVE NEGOTIATED PEACE TREATIES.

Presidents of the United States have played a very prominent part in peace matters for a very considerable time. Mr. Wilson’s predecessor. Mr. Taft, will be he’d in grateful recollection in connection with the general arbitration treaties concluded between the United States, Great Britain, and Fiance during his very successful term of office. It will be remembered that President Roosevelt played a conspicuous part in bringing the war between Japan and Russia to a close. Indeed, it was mainly owing to his efforts that peace was arranged when it was, and he received the grateful thanks of the leading Sovereigns of Europe. WASHINGTON’S KISS. The first name on the roll of presidential peacemakers is that of George Washington. It was on November 25th, 1783, that the British evacuated New York, of which they had been in forcible possession. A few days later Washington took formal farewell of his officers at Francis’s Hotel, and in doing so thus briefly addressed them:— “ With a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of you, devoutly wishing that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former days have been glorious and honourable. The knowledge that peace reigned once more filed him with such emotion that ho could not say another word. When General Knox came forward, Washington kissed him, and not a soldier left the room without an embrace irom the usually cold and distant commander. PRUSSIA’S HUMILIATION.

One of the most remarkable peace conferences ever held was that which commenced on June 25th, 1807, the outcome of which is known to history as the Peace of Tilsit. The high parties thereto were the King of Prussia, the Emperor Alexander of Russia, and ‘the victorious Napoleon. An extraordinary feature of the meeting was that it took place on a raft, built for the purpose on the River Nielnen, and in the presence of both armies. Two curious little huts were constructed on the raft .so that the two emperors could oonsu’t out of sight of the soldiers encamped on each bank. It was the crowning day of Napoleon's life, inasmuch as it provided him wi'th kingdoms and crowns for his brothers; the treaty declaring that .Jerome should he acknowledged King of Westphalia, Joseph King of Naples, and Louis King of Holland. -

For Prussia it was a day of the bitterest humiliation, the king having to <cde one-hail fof liis kingdom in order to retain the other half. The treaty made it still more humiliating by declaring that “the King of Prussia vrceives back ha’f of his States at tlm intercession of the Emperor of Russia." BISMARCK’S PEACE. As everybody knows, however, in course of time the tables were turned. When, after the disastrous war with Germany in 1870 France sued for peace, her representative was M. Jules Favre, though in actual fact there was oniv ono peacemaker. Bismarck dictated, l ather than negotiated, terms of peace. M. Favre was no match for the wily German Chancellor, and with his counter overwhelmed with defeat, torn hv internal dissension, and the enemy in possession of the capital, the French repreventative could onlv bow to the inevitable and accept the onerous terms which the victors imposed. V itli ono ox-oontion, tlipv wore tiie L ■ - verert vanquished ever lird to hoar, the execution heinor th» Poane of Til-it, which \v.> have just described.