Fourth Session Thursday Evening, May 21, 1908 The fourth session was given exclusively to business men. Following the practice of former years, invitations had been extended to prominent business organizations co-operating with the Conference, and delegates of forty-seven bodies were present. A list of these delegates and of the organizations they represented will be found on page 92. In addition to the regular sessions of the Conference, the delegates held two meetings for business men only, the results of which are briefly summed up as follows, by Mr. WILLIAM R. TUCKER, Secretary of the Philadelphia Board of Trade, who acted as Secretary: "The meeting organized by the selection of Mr. Frank D. LaLanne, President of the National Board of Trade as Chairman, and the writer as Secretary. Fifty-nine associations were credited with having appointed delegates to the meeting and the representatives of forty-seven answered the roll-call. "The speakers testified to the growing interest among the business men in the subject of International Arbitration as a means of preventing a recourse to arms among nations for the settlement of their misunderstandings and differences. Much satisfaction was expressed at the outcome of the second Hague Conference as thoroughly explained in the address of Hon. James Brown Scott, at the opening session of the Conference. "As a result of the meeting of the delegates of business organizations, the following was adopted as the expression of the busi ness men : "The men representing business organizations in various parts of the country recognize the fact that international arbitration, as a substitute for war between nations, is a practical proposition; that popular education should be encouraged as the best means to hasten the day of a world's Court of Justice; that the business men, being vitally interested in this, the greatest cause of humanity, feel it their duty to assume a large share of the financial burden of this educational campaign. They appreciate, further, that they should give time and serious thought to the problems confronting those who are now engaged in the international arbitration movement.' At the same meeting the business men completed the program for the fourth public session of the Conference, which session was called to order at 8.00 o'clock. THE CHAIRMAN: Most of us are familiar with the work among business men, which a Committee of this Conference has been carrying on for several years through the permanent Conference office. We are now to hear the report of that Committee presented by Mr. MAHLON N. KLINE, one of its members, and President of the Trades League of Philadelphia. REPORT OF COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO APPEAL TO BUSINESS MEN AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS TO THE FOURTEENTH ANNUAL LAKE MOHONK CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION MAY 21, 1908 In submitting this report to the Lake Mohonk Conference the Committee Appointed to Appeal to Business Men and Business Organizations desire to express their profound gratitude for the wonderful progress that has been made by the great cause of international arbitration during the last twelve months. It is doubtful if there has ever been another year in which the advocates of that cause have had so many reasons for congratulation and encouragement, as they have found in the farsighted wisdom and tact of our government in connection with the Hague Conference, in the epoch-making conclusions and recommendations of that Conference, in the energy and skill of our State Department in carrying out those recommendations, and in the evident growth of public and official sentiment in favor of such efforts. The temptation to enlarge upon these and other evidences of progress would be difficult to resist were it not for the fact that they will be more appropriately presented and discussed in the other papers and proceedings of this Conference. So far as this Committee was concerned it seemed clear that it would be unwise to undertake any new work while the Hague Conference was in session and our government was doing all that could be done to secure satisfactory results. After the adjournment of that Conference it was a long time before it was possible to obtain much official or reliable information as to just what had been or was being done at The Hague or in Washington: It was not until March that the Committee could obtain sufficient trustworthy data to enable them to decide as to what line of action would be advisable. On March 20th circular letters (of which a copy is hereto annexed) were inclosed with personal letters from the Secretary, and mailed to the officers of business organizations in sympathy and correspondence with the Mohonk Conference. In these letters the achievements of the Hague Conference were briefly referred to, and it was urged that the admirable conduct and efforts of our government in connection with that Conference and its recommendations, should be strongly commended and supported. It is too soon for a report as to the effect of these circulars, although it may be stated that copies of favorable resolutions have been received from a number of organizations and promises of similar action by others. With one exception all the organizations which were reported last year as having endorsed our circular, entitled "Why Business Men should Promote International Arbitration," have consented to become Cooperating and Corresponding Organizations, and to these have been added 37 others, making a total of 166, representing 128 cities in 42 states and Canada. All of these organizations are leading or fairly prominent bodies, and few are in cities of less than twenty-five or thirty thousand inhabitants. A list of these cooperating organizations with a statement of the action taken by each is appended to this report. The number of organizations that have appointed delegates to this year's meeting is 59, delegates of 47 of which are present. On the 16th of this month the Pennsylvania Arbitration and Peace Conference, an entirely new organization, held its first meeting in Philadelphia. Its objects, as stated in its preliminary program, were: First. To promote the universal acceptance of the principles of international arbitration, and the establishment of permanent courts of justice for the nations, as the only practical means to ensure the blessings of Peace by making wars improbable and ultimately impossible, in the civilized world. Second. To give the people of Pennsylvania an opportunity to commend the splendid record of the United States with regard to arbitration, and to pledge their active and earnest support to every effort of our government to continue the work and to carry out the recommendations of the great Hague Conference of 1907. Third. To form and provide for an effective representation of public sentiment upon the great issues making for international friendship and world organization that should signalize the third Hague Conference. It has been proposed that similar conferences shall be held in every state of the Union, and that in order to provide for an effective development, organization and representation of public sentiment, every such conference shall appoint an executive committee with power to carry on the work, and to confer and cooperate with any other committees, officials or individuals at home or abroad. The promotion and organization of such conferences is one of the most important duties that can now be undertaken, and it is one for which the business men are particularly well fitted. In concluding this report it may be stated that if the business men and business organizations of the leading nations can be led to act together in the advocacy and support of the recommendations of the Hague Conference, their influence will certainly be decisive. There is no other way in which they can do so much for the protection of their own business and financial interests, or for the moral elevation, prosperity and happiness of the whole human race. CIRCULAR LETTER SENT TO BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS. LAKE MOHONK CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION, MOHONK LAKE, N. Y. March 20, 1908. Dear Sir.-The Second Hague Conference has been a source of great encouragement to the advocates of International Arbitration. The agreement for an international court of prize, and the decision that an offer of arbitration must always precede the employment of force for the collection of debts, are only two of the many exceedingly valuable results definitely accomplished by the fourteen elaborate conventions actually adopted. But the most important service rendered by the Conference was, that by its specific recommendations, and by its substantial unanimity in endorsing the principle of International Arbitration and the project for an International High Court of Justice, it opened the way for immediate efforts to secure : Ist. A prompt confirmation of the conventions prepared by the Conference for the final approval of all the nations. 2nd. The negotiation and ratification of arbitration treaties between the respective nations, and the subsequent improvement of such treaties by making them more comprehensive from time to time as may be found feasible. 3rd. The suggestion and adoption of some satisfactory means for selecting the judges and completing the organization of an International High Court of Justice as designed by the Hague Conference. 4th. A practical acceptance of the recommendation of the Conference that the various governments should undertake a serious study, by commissions or otherwise, of a possible limitation of national armaments, or of annual expenditures for such armaments, upon some equitable or mutually acceptable basis. 5th. A still greater and more assertive public intelligence and public opinion in favor of arbitration as a substitute for war. In conducting the preliminary negotiations, in preparing instructions for the delegates, and in endeavoring to perfect the work and carry out the ideas of the Conference, the United States Government has shown the most admirable wisdom and tact, and a sincere devotion to the essential principles involved. While the official report of the Conference has not yet been published, its achievements have been made clear in papers of an official or semiofficial character, such as the President's message to Congress, the Philadelphia address of Mr. Choate on February 22nd, and the pamphlet written by Prof. James Brown Scott, Solicitor of the State Department and Technical Delegate of the United States to the Hague Conference. Prof. Scott's paper is No. 5 of the pamphlets published by the American Branch of the Association for International Conciliation, Sub-station 84, New York, and it is stated that copies will be sent post-paid on request. It seems to us that if the representatives of our leading business organizations should see fit to give to our government and to the Hague delegates cordial expressions of commendation for what has been achieved and of strong encouragement for further efforts on the lines suggested, it will be exceedingly appropriate and useful at this time. The publication of such resolutions in the newspapers will also have an especially important influence in enlightening and stimulating public opinion and official action. We submit for your consideration the desirability of having suitable resolutions or letters sent to the President, Secretary of State and Senators, and copies given to the press. Information of action taken in this connection sent to H. C. Phillips, the Secretary of the Mohonk Conference at Mohonk Lake, N. Y., will be sincerely appreciated. CHARLES RICHARDSON, Chairman, JOEL COOK, MAHLON N. Kline, W. A. MAHONY, GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY, ELWYN G. PRESTON, CLINTON ROGERS WOODRUFF, Committee on Business Organizations. |