Peace and Arbitration

White Ribbon, Volume 10, Issue 118, 15 March 1905, Page 4

Peace and Arbitration

PEACE CONGRESS.

REPORT ok NEW ZEALAND DELEGATE The following report on the thirteenth International Peace Congress, held at Boston, Massachussett, U.S.A., was presented to the late President of the National Council of Women of New Zealand by Miss Sheriff Bain : I represented our Council in the 13th International Peace Congress by invitation of Mr Edwin D. Meade, chairman of Executive Committee, and in concurrence with the wish of the plenipotentiary at large, Mrs Sheppard. Congress was held in Boston during early October. It was preceded by preliminary religious exercises throughout the Uniied States, and it was followed by extension meetings in several great cities of the Republic and of Canada. Ne?rly 1300 delegates attended Congress ; amongst the number some of the most eminent humanitarians of our day. All possible prestige was given to the occasion by the authorities of the city, the State, and the Republic ; and the immense audiences that thronged every public dehberatiqp were keenly enthusiastic. By many powerful and eloquent speakers at[filiation was urged as the only human method of settling differences between individuals, communities and peoples: and gradual,simultaneous, and proportional disarmament was repeatedly advocated, just as our Council has advocated this measure since the second year of its establishment. Many wrongs were exposed —in Thibet, Armenia, Jewish Russia, Cong., Free State, and elsewhere.

The platform of Congress was an arena of brotherhood : emphatically so, when two men—a Russian and a Japanese —clasped hands in token of the amity that would speedily prevail between nations if Government had right ideals. I spoke in Breton, Portland (Maine), and Philadelphia. On these and sub-

sequent occasions I described as fully as time would permit the working of our industrial arbitration statute, with our immunity from strikes and lockouts, the devastation of this great country, thus evidencing the practicability of arbitration methods, and urging their extension from the national to the international sphere. I have the pleasure of observing that New Zealand is regarded with cordial interest by the American people, and that our legislation is widely studied here, although curious misapprehensions are frequently encountered.”

An epitome of the resolutions adopted at the Congress was published in our January issue.—Ed. W.R.j

WOMEN AND PEACE.

The colossal bronze statue of Christ, erected on a pinnacle of the Andes just on the disputed boundary between the Republics of Chile and the Argentina, was finally placed in position and unveiled last year, amid impressive ceremonies, at the invitation of Senora Angela de Oliviera de Costa, the president of the “ Association of Christian Mothers of Argentina.” The inaugural ceremonies were indeed impressive. “ Over three thousand persons gathered in that wild region, amidst the roar of cannon and the music of bands, and, breaking the silence w hich became almost appalling when the last sounds died aw’ay in the distance of those snow-covered mountains, came the words of Monsenor Jara, Bishop|of Aucud : ‘ Not only to Argentina and Chile do we dedicate this monument, but to the world, that from this it may learn its lesson of universal peace.’ ” The writer of the article from which we quote goes on to remat k

“ This monument of peace has not only demonstrated to the world what two nations can do, even after years of difference, but shows also the high esteem in which the women of these countries are held; most significant ot all, the fact that, for the first time in history, a prayer composed by a woman has been authorised by the highest church authority ol her country, to be repeated at daily mass immediately after the rosary.”

A cable of Feb. 21st brought the news that the women of Moscow have petitioned the Dowager Empress to urge the Czar to stop the war and lead the way to the political regeneration ot the country.