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Page 1: HISTORY AND THE PEACE MOVEMENT

World Affairs Institute

HISTORY AND THE PEACE MOVEMENTSource: Advocate of Peace through Justice, Vol. 92, No. 3 (August, 1930), pp. 155-159Published by: World Affairs InstituteStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20681465 .

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Page 2: HISTORY AND THE PEACE MOVEMENT

Advocate of Peace, August, 1930 155

therefore should invoke our common re

sources for its common defense when this

common heritage is imperiled." On the assumption that the control of

war profiteering is constitutional in nature, the act provides for the creation of a com

mission to be composed of four members

of the House, four members of the Senate, the Secretaries of War, Navy, Agriculture,

Commerce, Labor, and the Attorney Gen

eral, to consider what amendment to the

Constitution of the United States is neces

sary to enable the Congress to take private

property for public use during war, to

equalize the burdens and to remove the

profits of war, and to study the policies to

be pursued in the event of war. The bill

provides that the commission shall report definite recommendations to the President

of the United States to be transmitted by him in turn to the Congress not later than

the first Monday in December, 1931. It

specifically provides that the commission shall not consider and shall not report upon the conscription of labor.

To amend the Constitution of the United

States is no easy matter. That an amend

ment is necessary is doubtful. Our Govern ment had little difficulty controlling any

thing it wished to control during the last war. It merged railroads, sold bonds, com

mandeered manufactures, fixed prices, and

directed our entire economic life. Should

the existence of our national life be threat

ened again by war, the Government would

find ways to do these same things, and more if necessary. But the study of the

entire problem as provided by this recent

legislation is most desirable.

HISTORY AND THE PEACE MOVEMENT

TTkURING the war an eminent American

historian said that he had found men

trained in history to be a bit more efficient in the conduct of the war than others.

He was probably right. The historically

trained men are among the most useful of

the foreign representatives of govern ments. History lends perspective. Other

things being equal, it promotes wisdom. In this summer number of the Advocate

of Peace there are historical matters

relating to the peace movement, facts that

should be of use to anyone interested to

clarify one's own mind as to possible next

steps toward the lessening of the ills of war.

The American Peace Society is old

enough to view with nothing but gratifica tion the activities of others in its special field. In the language of its founder, Wil liam Ladd, from whom it is ever profitable to quote, "the field is large and the reapers are few."

The peace worker today must know the

background of his work. He will of course wish to know his representatives in Con

gress. He will seek to make use of men

and existing organizations. He will look for specific projects calculated to advance the cause. He will add to the political aspects of his interests the achievments of science, of literature and of art. His

approach to any or all these fields will be the more intelligent in proportion as he knows the achievements and the failures of the peace movement heretofore.

E great inquiry of history is not where a man came from but where is

he going? History is the science of cul

tural values, of the meanings and effects of

human behavior. In its larger aspects it

unfolds our views and hopes. In his "The

Decline of the West," Spengler is not so

interested in events and causes as in the

meaning of those events in the light of

the days that are to come. He finds that

there have been eight occasions when

large groups of men have lived on a high level of culture: in Egypt, in Mesopotamia, in India, in China, along the north of the

Mediterranean, in the Near East, in

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Page 3: HISTORY AND THE PEACE MOVEMENT

156 Advocate of Peace, August, 1930

Mexico and in Western Europe. He finds

among all these the record of birth, growth,

maturity and decline. He might have

added, had he seen fit, that the decline in

every instance was due primarily to the

devastations of war. Whether or not our

Western World is to go the way of all

the others depends upon the merit and

vitality of the peace movement.

TNFAMILIARITY with data of his ^

tory is at the bottom of most of our

social ills. This ignorance blinds us to

the fact that the evolution of the peace movement is the most important achieve ment of our modern world. Knowledge of

past failures and achievements in this

movement is necessary, not to convince the

world that wars should cease?that has been accomplished?but to achieve a

greater agreement upon the best methods now to be employed. The task of the

peace worker is to guide public sentiment

of all countries to the choice of wise meth ods for the avoidance of irreconcilable

disputes, and to open ways for the just settlement of all other controversies as they

may arise. Such a service should not be

embarrassed by the imprudence of unin

formed zealots. Disagreements in the

peace movement are almost entirely over

methods. If the peace workers knew more

they would agree better. It is history that

ties faith to experience, experience to

knowledge, and knowledge to wisdom, which is the wise use of knowledge.

Familiarity with the past enables one to

advance if not to originate wisdom. The

difficulties of the peace movement are in

tensified more by its advocates than by its

enemies, due principally to an unfamili

arity with the work that has been done.

Many of our "new ideas" in the peace movement are but the skeletons of errors

that died generations ago among their

worshipers. Wise men looked upon those

"ideas," weighed their merits against their

demerits, and found them wrong. History,

progressive revelation that it is, is essen

tial to tolerance, and to the vigor, breadth

of view and wisdom that follow in the steps of tolerance.

E outstanding need of the peace movement?that is a dangerous way to

begin a sentence. But why not finish it?

The peace movement needs to be baptized with a more general culture, a wider vigor of thought, a deeper catholicity of spirit. The peace movement waits for a new in

fusion of those qualities associated 700

years before Christ with Isaiah, classic

genius of Judaism?qualities of grandeur, of concentration, of imaginative power and

splendor. Where are we to find leadership like that?

E peace movement has been impeded

most, not by its enemies but by the

imprudence of its friends. This has been

due for the most part to an ignorance of

the facts of the story of experience, which

is history. Patrick Henry was not the only one to find no way of judging the future

except by the past. Experience may keep a dear school but it is a necessary school.

The peace worker among the other social

endeavorers must lay experience by the

side of the things to be done, else in the

future, as often in the past, the things that

are done will have to be undone. The

peace movement needs the dignity that

thrives between the dull and the florid, the

realization that the task is interesting be

cause true and convincing. If it can escape

pedantry and ostentation, find its efforts

measured by the failures and successes of

the past, it will find itself in the hearts of

men, winning their judgments and support.

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Page 4: HISTORY AND THE PEACE MOVEMENT

Advocate of Peace, August, 1930 157

STANDARDS

of measurement for the

further development of the peace movement may yet prove to be largely out side the current standards most familiar to our day. They may have little to do

with money, salaries, memberships, build

ings, publicity, size of organization, stand ardization based on statistics, propaganda or any outward success in terms of brag and crowds. These things may play their

part, but the peace movement cannot af ford to close its doors to the inventors, the

artists, the poets and the prophets, for in its substance there are the spiritual reali ties of courage, confidence and insight. The

most sacred of the Christian sacraments

began in no endowed temple, but in a little

upper room borrowed for the purpose; and that in no hour of success and acclaim, but

among a few anxious men faced with an aweful tragedy.

NE WONDERS how far conven tions now in force between the United

States and a number of governments relative to the smuggling of intoxicating liquors are calculated to promote good feelings toward our government. Each of these conventions has a provision that au thorities of the United States may board

private vessels under a foreign flag out side the limits of the territorial waters of the United States for the purpose of as

certaining whether or not the vessel or

persons on board are endeavoring to im

port or have imported alcoholic beverages into the United States. The provisions go further. On sufficient evidence that such

attempts have been made, or are being made, the United States may seize the vessel and bring it into a port of the United States for adjudication in accord ance with the laws of the United States. The first convention of this kind was

signed by the United States with Great Britain in 1924. Similar conventions are

now ?n force between the United States and Belgium, Cuba, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Pana

ma, Spain, Sweden and Poland. One

signed by the United States with Chile on May 27, 1930, is now pending ratifica tion by the two countries.

qpWO EVENTS calculated to promote

understanding between thoughtful per sons of the United States and Italy were

recently reported by our Ambassador to

Rome, Mr. John W. Garrett. It appears that there is held at Venice every year an

exhibition of painting and sculpture to which "all the world" comes. America has been twice represented there in former

years, but, it is said, inadequately, and in rooms in the main building, which is

ordinarily given up to Italian art or to

exhibitions of minor importance from

countries which have no buildings of their own. All the major countries of Europe have buildings of their own and do not

fail of adequate representation. There are

pavilions flying the flags of France, Great

Britain, Spain, Germany, The Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Belgium, among others. This year for the first time

America is represented by its own build

ing, a satisfactory and beautiful pavilion in the neo-classic colonial style designed by Messrs. Delano and Chester Aldrich

of New York and erected at the expense of the Grand Central Art Galleries. Mr.

Walter L. Clarke, President of the Grand Central Art Galleries, has, with great skill

and labor, brought together some one

hundred paintings and pieces of sculpture

by modern American artists, and although there are some important names lacking,

especially of the younger artists, it is im

pressive to see canvases of Cecilia Beaux,

George Bellows, Frank W. Benson, Charles

Chapman, Childe Hassam, Rockwell Kent, Leon Kroll, Jonas Lie, Gari Melchers, John

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Page 5: HISTORY AND THE PEACE MOVEMENT

158 Advocate of Peace, August, 1930

Sloan, and Eugene Speicher, to pick out a few names rather at random; and pieces of sculpture by Malvina A. Hoffman, Paul

Manship, and others. The second event

has been the triumphant tour of the orches tra of the Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York under the leadership of Arthur Toscanini. The presentation to

gether of the greatest conductor and the

greatest orchestra of our time is a revela tion of good music to the people of Europe. Particularly in Italy the combination of this American orchestra and its Italian

Maestro has brought about an enthusiasm and delight that is said not to have been

equalled here before. The orchestra has

given two concerts in Milan, one in Turin, two in Rome, and finished the Italian

part of its tour in Florence. It has been a musical triumph everywhere, and a great debt of gratitude is due to Mr. Clarence Mackey and his colleagues who have sent this splendid embassy of Ameri can art to Europe.

npHERE IS AN international aspiration ? ?

among the artists of the world that

may well give pause to the politicians and reformers. There is a marked tendency away from attitudinizing in art to keep up appearances, away from the imitations of

the old masters and toward an open

mindedness, a stern passion for sincerity,

integrity, truth, a disposition to temper one's personal pr?f?rences with a tolerant

appreciation of different points of view.

The real artists of our day, almost with out exception, aim to place their work

above and beyond the disputes of nations.

They speak a universal language. Nicholas Roerich proposes an international

agreement to raise above museums, art

galleries and cathedrals an individual

flag, claiming and receiving the same im

munity as the flag of the Red Cross, and

thus to protect artistic treasures through

times of madness and destruction. Dun can Philips is editor of Art and Under

standing, a magazine devoted to the en

couragement of tolerance and open-mind edness in art and life and to the cultiva tion of intelligent enjoyment of the inten tions of artists and the varied qualities of their work. He points out that the crea

tive spirit unites. He urges that the crea

tions of a country's contemporary artists be exhibited in legations abroad, and that attach?s be detailed to interpret these to

visitors, as the Honorable Vincent Massey, long Canadian Minister at Washington, has done for the artists of his land. It is diffi cult to conceive of a finer service to the cause of international respect and under

standing.

WflTH APOLOGIES to "The Path "

finder,99 the following amended para graph is printed for no definable reason:

A "Literary Digest."?A "modern Priscilla"

crossed the "Atlantic" in search of an "American

boy" who had gone to help with the "world's work." Having good "success" she found the

"country gentleman" leaning against a "Satur

day evening post" and gazing at an "evening star."

He asked her to be his "youth's companion" and

share his "farm home and fireside." A "pathfinder"

guided them to his home, where the "household"

goods consist mostly of "needlecraft" and old

"farm bureaus." The "current opinion" was that

they would have an "independent" "life," but

after they had enjoyed "farm life" for nearly a "golden age," she received a "dispatch" from a

"Virginia farmer," saying, "come back." She laid

aside her "red book" and said to her "woman's

home companion," I'm going to leave this "cos

mopolitan" country, and return to "America" and

be an "American woman" and an "Advocate oj Peace."

THE REFUSAL of our Department of

State to favor the sale of $2,000,000 worth of bombing airplanes to Russia by a Baltimore company is a logical sequel to the fact that we have no diplomatic relations with Russia. It is a resolution

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Page 6: HISTORY AND THE PEACE MOVEMENT

Advocate of Peace, August, 1930

of Congress that empowers the President to impose embargoes on the shipment of

military supplies to Latin-American coun

tries and to China. The Department of State is opposed to the shipment of arms even to the government of the Soviet Union of Socialist Republics. One naturally wonders how far this act of the Depart ment may be looked upon as a straw indi

cating the course of events in Eastern

Europe and the Far East.

"T\ES DEVOIRS?DES DROITS" is a phrase engraved over the entrance

to the headquarters of the mayor of

Neuilly, just outside the old walls of

Paris. An English gentleman recently discovered this motto and wrote a letter

about it. In that letter he called atten

tion to the uneasiness in England and to

159

the despondency somewhat prevalent there.

Having recently visited France, he was

impressed by the facts that there is no un

employment in France and that taxation is falling. He is greatly impressed by the order of the words in the motto. First, duty to the nation: then such rights as the performance of that duty has merited.

He asks: "If France has engraved this

principle not only on the stone of her

building but also on the minds of her citi

zens, is it not at the same time a possible explanation of her better condition and an

example to ourselves?" He adds: "Is it too much to hope that our politicians and and the majority of our electorate may one

day see the life of the nation in that light? If so, there is ground for hope." The Advocate of Peace is too well acquainted with the epic grandeur of Britain to doubt the outcome in that land.

WORLD PROBLEMS IN REVIEW

LEAGUE OF NATIONS COVENANT AND THE KELLOGG PACT

THE most important item on the agenda

of the Eleventh Assembly of the League of Nations, which will open in Geneva on

September 11, is the discussion of the Re port of the Committee for the Amendment of the Covenant of the League of Nations in Order to Bring it into Harmony with the Pact of Paris (the Kellogg Pact). This

Committee, which was appointed by the

League Council at its session of January, 1930, in execution of the Tenth Assembly's resolution of September 24, 1929, sat at Geneva from February 25 to March 5, 1930. It elaborated a number of proposals

which are now to be submitted to the League Assembly.

Committee's Terms of Reference and

Composition

The Committee's terms of reference were

embodied in the Tenth Assembly's resolu tion, which read as follows:

The Assembly,

Taking note of the resolution submitted to it on

September 6th on behalf of various delegations

that, in view of the large measure of acceptance obtained by the Pact signed at Paris on August

27th, 1928, whereby the parties renounced war as

an instrument of national policy in their relations with one another, it is desirable that Articles 12

and 15 of the Covenant of the League of Nations

should be be re-examined in order to determine whether it is necessary to make any modifications

therein; and

Taking note also of the resolution proposed by the Peruvian delegation on September 10th recom

mending that a report should be obtained as to the

alterations which were necessary in the Covenant of the League in order to give effect to the pro hibitions contained in the Pact of Paris:

Declares that it is desirable that the terms of the Covenant of the League should not accord any

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