SIGNOR DANI'S MEDALLION.

SIGNOR DANI, having presented one of his medallion plaques to the American Ambassador to England, has received the following reply :—

"Embassy of the United States, London,
"September 22, 1896.

"SIR,-The Ambassador requests me to acknowledge your note to him, which arrived during his absence from London, accompanied by a very handsomely framed bas-relief of your allegorical conception of 'America at Peace.'

"In accepting this gift to the Embassy, Mr. Bayard desires to thank you very cordially for the friendly spirit indicated by its presentation, and the laudable purpose of international peace and amity which is illustrated by your work.

Your gift shall find a place upon the walls of this Embassy, and its origin and history shall be duly affixed upon it.

"I am, Sir,

"Your obedient servant, "JOHN RIDGEL CARTER, "Private Secretary.

"G. N. Dani, Esq."

REPORT OF THE SEVENTH UNIVERSAL PEACE CONGRESS.

THE full report of the Seventh Peace Congress, held at Budapest in September last, is now ready. Copies may be obtained at the Offices of the Association, 40, Outer Temple, Strand, price Two Shillings.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

Chairman-HODGSON PRATT.

Vice-Chairmen {

W. MARTIN WOOD.

T. HOLMES, F.R.C.S.

Hon. Treasurer-JOHN M. GRANT.

Secretary-J. Fredk. Green.

[The Executive Committee invite criticisms and suggestions from Members on the subjects of the resolutions passed at their meetings.]

1896. Nov. 3.-LORD DUFFERIN'S SPEECH AT BELFAST.Resolved: "That a copy of the forthcoming number of CONCORD, containing an article on Lord Dufferin's speech, be sent to His Lordship with a suitable letter."

17. THE VENEZUELA ARBITRATION AND THE GENERAL TREATY WITH THE U.S A. Resolved: "1. That this Committee, at this its first meeting since the announcement on the 9th inst. of Her Majesty's Minister for Foreign Affairs, desires to record, on behalf of the members of this Association and the friends of peace everywhere, its sense of lively satisfaction because of the substantial assurance given by the Marquis of Salisbury on that occasion that the long-standing dispute between this

country and Venezuela is now in course of definitive submission to a tribunal of arbitration specially selected; also rejoices that the preliminaries of a permanent Treaty of Arbitration between this country and the U.S.A. have been agreed upon by these the two chief Governments of the Englishspeaking races.

"2. With regard to the latter subject, and considering that several important details yet require to be adjusted, the Committee desires to recall the attention of members of the Association and public men to its minute of 21st July (published in CONCORD for August), wherein attempt was made to deal with certain apparent difficulties in the way of settling arbitration treaties and arranging the constitution of an International Tribunal for giving effect to such treaties.

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"3. With regard to the Venezuela controversy, the Committee would refer to its resolution on that subject, adopted in the dark days of last December, in sequence to the pressing efforts made by our Chairman and Committee during several years past in urging on our own Government arguments in behalf of settling that protracted dispute, efferts renewed on our Chairman's special and timely visit to the United States this last summer; and desires to congratulate the members of this Association, and the friends of peace generally, on the approaching hopeful termination of this typical international controversy.

"4. Further, this Committee takes the opportunity of this occasion to encourage the advocates of international amity and opponents of militarism on the Continent of Europe, and in the Western World, in the continuance of their labours for these great ends, and to bid them be of good cheer in spite of the formidable difficulties that remain to be overcome in this work of humanity.

"5. That copies of this minute be forwarded to Her Majesty's Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the President of the United States, and to Mr. Secretary Olney."

Nov. 17.-RESIGNATION OF SIGNOR E. T. MONETA AS EDITOR OF THE Secolo OF MILAN.-Resolved: “That a letter be written to Signor Moneta expressing the admiration of the Committee for the renewed proof of his devotion to the cause of peace and international concord as evidenced by his resignation of the important post of Editor of the Sicolo, which he has filled with so much distinction, in order to devote the whole of his energies to the work of the Unione Lombarda, and the peace propaganda generally."

The Claim of Venezuela to Appoint one of the Arbitrators 2
Evolution and the Peace Movement......

Alleged Insult to French Naval Officers at Hartlepool
Our Foreign Correspondence.

Items ....

Monument to Jules Simon

The Venezuela Arbitration..

Peace Sunday

Lectures by the Secretary

New Members

Executive Committee Meetings................................

Subscriptions and Donations

Form of Legacy or Bequest.....

THE Executive Committee of the Association does not hold itself responsible for the opinions of the writers of articles and letters in this JOURNAL. When they deal with controversial questions they should bear some signature, personal or impersonal.

A NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS.

Ar the commencement of a New Year, men and societies should consider where they stand in relation to the main purpose of their existence, They must ask themselves what is the true nature of the work before them; how far they have adopted the best means of doing it; and what new methods, if any, they should follow.

The men and women who constitute the Association represented by this journal-in common with similar societies in Europe and America-have undertaken what is, perhaps, the most urgent task of this present time. The condition of Europe is appalling, in view of the dangers which threaten the lives and welfare of 300 millions of human beings. There has grown up, within the last few years, a spirit of hatred, suspicion, and jealousy between the nations, which is, in itself, as calamitous as it is infamous. But the evil of that spirit, and its shamefulness, is only half recognised, while hundreds of newspapers everywhere seek for gain by exciting the passions of men against each other, and daily circulate infamous falsehoods for that purpose. So great has been this fierce mistrust between the Powers that they have deliberately permitted tens of thousands of Christians in Turkey to be massacred in cold blood, each fearing lest

[PRICE TWOPENCE,

[er 23. ed. Yearly prepaid.

some other State might reap advantage from its intervention.

The consequence of this state of things is seen in the fact that, through the conscription, the Continental Governments have drilled the whole of their adult populations, and have prepared them for battle at the shortest notice. In fact, no less than eleven millions of men are ready to shoulder arms and march to fields of carnage, on a scale never before witnessed in modern times. On the other hand, Great Britain, in order to retain the command of the sea, strains every nerve to increase her already enormous navy; and her Government will probably demand millions, in addition to the present expenditure of nineteen millions, for that arm of defence. This outlay causes Russia and France to augment theirs in proportion, for the same purpose; and we have now entered on an exhausting and dangerous rivalry in expenditure with those Powers.

In a word, the Governments of Europe are inflicting upon their subjects intolerable burdens, and to such an extent that the problem before them seems to be: "Is it better to be ruined by the slow process of an armed Truce, or by the rapid process of actual War?"

In view of the increasing accumulation of munitions of war and of the increasing application of scientific methods to the work of destruction, a war in Europe would result in evil so intense and widespread that it might take generations of peace to recover from the consequences. This would mean the suppression, for a time, of all civilising and ennobling agencies; the arrest of the progress attained by the efforts and sacrifices of the last hundred years; starvation, misery, and degradation for those remaining alive when war ended.

tionary maxims. They have been initiated by men who were inspired by a passion for truth, justice and mercy; and who won the support of millions of people because endowed with that power which God gives His servants. Slavery and other time-honoured evils were abolished by such means. War should arouse still greater efforts, because it involves not only a question of righteousness, but endangers the most vital interests of whole nations.

In the past great revolutions have been effected, in spite of the powers of this world, although the masses of the people had no political rights, were ignorant and without organisation. Should it be more difficult to accomplish the abolition of war, when, in many lands, the democracy possesses both power and knowledge?

Yet the toiling masses must be led, and public opinion must be created and organised. It is allpowerful, and can accomplish miracles when the object in view is based on eternal truths, and is indispensable to man's existence and happiness.

Already this great modern force has won a splendid victory in the compact between Great Britain and the United States that they will refer all disputes between them, for all future time, to the arbitrament of Reason and Justice. After that, who shall say that it is impossible to establish the reign of Law and to abolish that of Force in international affairs? No doubt there are special circumstances in the case of the Anglo-American treaty which has made its adoption comparatively easy. Nevertheless, that wise and noble example must greatly facilitate the more difficult task which lies before the peace-makers in the case of Europe.

How soon they shall bring about similar treaties between the nations of the Continent-in five, in ten, or in twenty years-depends on the degree in which the peace-makers shall grow in numbers, in wisdom, and in fidelity to their principles. They have made far more progress during the last ten years than in any previous period as regards the number of their societies, of their publications, and of their meetings. But if they are to reach the goal at an early date there must be thousands of workers where now there are tens; thousands of pounds must be subscribed for propaganda where hundreds are now subscribed. Every year of delay may occasion the death and impoverishment by war of millions of innocent persons, the decay or extinction of the forces of religion, education and civilisation.

For the New Year, then, our hopes and prayers are that every man and woman who cares for the well-being and progress of mankind, who desires the triumph of Right in this world, shall feel it to be a sacred duty to work for our cause. Let them help the Peace movement, by word and deed, every week of the year, in season and out of season, at no matter what cost of personal ease, comfort, or enjoyment! It is the sacred duty of every citizen and elector, of every representative and leader of his fellow men, of every church and philanthropic society, to do their utmost for the rescue of Europe from the calamities which threaten it. Apathy, indifference, inaction at this crisis, is a sin against man and against God. H, P.

THE CLAIM OF VENEZUELA TO APPOINT ONE OF THE ARBITRATORS.

ALL friends of that great reform in human affairs which consists in settling disputes by legal methods instead of force must take great care to prevent doubts as to the perfect equity in the constitution of the Tribunal.

So-called "practical" men and others, including statesmen, are quite ready to find difficulties in a general adoption of the principle of arbitration; and it is most important not to imperil its success by any error in the arrangements adopted. Now, our readers are aware that the agreement between Great Britain and the United States provides that each of them shall, through its Supreme Court, nominate two members of the Tribunal, and that the four shall then appoint a fifth. It will be observed, however, that by this arrangement one of the two parties to the Guiana-Venezuela boundary dispute appoints half the members, while the other party (Venezuela) has no voice at all in their selection. Consequently, before assenting to the terms of the agreement, the Venezuelan Government may claim the right to appoint one of the arbitrators.

Surely such a demand would be wholly justifiable and proper. To disregard it would, it appears to us, lead to one of two consequences, equally regrettable. One is that the settlement of this dangerous and long-pending dispute would be adjourned indefinitely, and the other that the judgment arrived at would not form a satisfactory precedent. Any doubts as to the perfect equity of the decision would invalidate its value in the eyes of many, and the case would be hereafter cited as an illustration of the uncertainty of this mode of settling disputes.

Moreover, to put one of the two parties at so great a disadvantage as regards the other would infringe the valuable maxim that sovereign states, whatever their size or importance, are juridically equal in their relations with each other. This doctrine is clearly stated in the able introduction to a Code of International Law submitted to the recent Peace Congress by M. La Fontaine, a member of the Belgian Senate.

In view of these considerations we venture to consider that the claim put forward on behalf of Venezuela is of great importance, and we hope that all the English Peace Societies may address the British Government on the subject.

H. P.

EVOLUTION AND THE PEACE MOVEMENT.

ONE of the most significant facts established by biological science is that the evolution from the lowest forms of life to the highest is at every ascending grade accompanied by a greater breadth of life and power of self-preservation. Among the lower forms the waste of life is inconceivable. Even among organisms so developed as is the herring, the waste is so great that to repair it five million eggs are produced by a single fish, while of the white ant it is said that the queen termite

lays eighty thousand eggs a day. Ascending from the lowest organisms to the highest the same statement of fact remains true. The progress from the lower to the higher forms is one of continually diminished waste, and in one of its most important aspects it may be described as a gradual transition from war to peace. Man in a state of nature is in a state of war, untrammelled by ethical considerations, but using his physical powers as he pleases for the maintenance of his own life. He is part of the cosmic process, engaged in the struggle for the survival of the fittest. The passions and attributes most essential to his preservation, and consequently those which are most developed, are the egoistic attributes which he holds in common with the brutes. The altruistic attributes are latent and undeveloped. What, then, is the cause of the great progress of mankind? Reason, which has given to man the power to suspend the struggle with his fellows for existence. In the lower forms of life progress is for the most part by rivalry, egoism; in man, progress has been mainly by association, altruism.

As soon as two men lived together the altruistic faculties began to develop, for unless the egoism of each was to some extent restrained, community was impossible. Egoism is a disintegrating force in society, and cohesion depends on altruism, which, therefore, is developed with every social advance. One of the first results of this development is that quarrels between man and man are no longer settled by the physical force of the individuals concerned, but are submitted to arbitration; and once this principle is admitted, its field becomes more and more extensive. The history of civilisation shows continual progress from a state of constantly recurring private war to a state of in peace, which the waste of life is reduced to the lowest possible limits.

It is now generally conceded that a nation is not merely an aggregation of individuals, but is an organic unity evolved from an amorphous, homogeneous mass to a definite heterogeneous specialised body. This is something more than a figure of speech; it is a plain statement of fact. What is not yet understood is that the relation of a nation to mankind as a whole is tending to identity with that of an individual to his national community.

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And here it may be remarked that the expression" the family of nations "-is inaccurate. family is inorganic, a community is organic. The word "family" conveys the erroneous idea of genesis from a parent of like nature; the word "community" signifies a body politic, and implies evolution. The distinction is not unimportant. The idea of universal man as a slowly evolving though still rudimentary organism is calculated to throw light upon many obscure problems of international relations.

The evolution of the individual preceded that of the nation, and advanced far before the latter could commence. The process of national evolution has in its turn advanced far, and the nations themselves have commenced to evolve into an organic unity.

There are many signs of the weakening of race animosities, the decline of national egoism, and the development of national altruism.

The great

military combinations of past ages have almost invariably been offensive in their objects, but the militarism of the present day is largely the outcome of terror, and the great continental armies exist not for the purpose of conquest, but of defence. Standing armies are becoming more and more burdensome, and this fact, combining with the coincident decline in the military spirit, renders it more and more probable that the various civilised Powers will before long take that first step which, among individuals, has been the commencement of a long upward social process-the substitution of arbitration for physical force in the settlement of disputes. The poet's vision of "the Parliament of man, the federation of the world" is more than a dream. It is the imperfect expression of a profound scientific truth. The cosmic process which has evolved organic communities from individuals is commencing to evolve from those communities one universal organism, the nature and grandeur of which can no more be understood at present than our social condition could be foreseen by our barbaric forefathers. Those who are engaged in the arbitration movement are working in a great cause, but the cause is greater than they realise. The instrument in the commencing evolutionary era is international concord-association. "Association," said Mazzini, "is synthesis, and synthesis is divine." G. H. W.

ALLEGED INSULT TO FRENCH NAVAL OFFICERS AT HARTLEPOOL.

We are glad to be able to state that owing to inquiries most courteously undertaken by the Mayor of Hartlepool at the request of our Association, we are enabled to give an absolute contradiction to the story recently circulated in the Press of certain officers of the French gunboat Ibis having been insulted on landing at Hartlepool. It now appears that the whole story was a fabrication, and had its origin in a false report conveyed to a local newspaper. Statements have been made by the French Consul and others which show that the officers were much pleased with their reception, and, on leaving, expressed the hope that they might soon re-visit the port. As attention was drawn to the supposed incident in the French Chamber and newspaper Press, we are making arrangements for the contradiction and explanation to appear in the French Press.

OUR FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.

FRANCE.

ALTHOUGH French opinion may be strangely difficult to move over the deliberate massacres which, in obedience to the orders of the Sultan, have drenched with blood, not only Armenia, but the whole of Asia Minor and even Constantinople; although the tragic stories of the murder of old men, children and women, of authorised violation and systematic pillage, which in other circumstances would have thoroughly excited it, have left it, if not insensible and indifferent, at least hesitating, perplexed and silent, it is beginning to become somewhat enervated in face of the want of