THE WORLD'S PEACE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1115, 1 May 1911, Page 5

THE WORLD'S PEACE.

UNLIMITED ARBITRATION. GREAT MEETING IN LONDON. SPEECHES BY MR. ASQUITH AND MR. BALFOUR. VIEWS 01' SIR J, WARD. ■ By Telcuraph—Press AssociaUon-Cop.vrieht London, April 28. At the Guildhall, a meeting was held in support of the British-American \mlimited arbitration proposal of President Taft. There was an enormous attendance. The Lord Mayor of London (Sir T. Vezey Strong) presided, and among those present were Sir Joseph Ward, Sir George Reid (High Commissioner for Australia), and Sir William Hall-Jones (High Commissioner for New Zealand). All tho political, commercial, and religious interests of the nation were represented in the audience. Not Utopian, Mr. Asquith, Prime Minister, moved a motion welcoming Mr. Taft's proposals, and pledging the meeting to 6upport tho principles of general arbitration. It was not, said Mr. Asquith, Utopian to expect the abandonment of international duelling. The proposed treaty had no ulterior political purpose, neither was it intended as a menace to the rest of the world. It only meant that war should be ruled out ns an instrument for settling international differences, and they might hope and believe that other things would follow. "Meanwhile," concluded tho Prime Minister, "we cannot forgo precautions for tho stewardship of our world-wide trust." Ripe for an AgreementMr. Balfour (Leader of tho Opposition) said he did not 6haro the view that paper barriers could be swept away under the strain of international rivalry. When laws and treaties were not in advance of public opinion, they should be honourably recognised. He believed that public opinion in England and the United States was ripe for an agreement such as that suggested. They must not confuse the question with one of preparations for war. An arbitration treaty would not, added Mr. Balfonr, lessen tho worldwide responsibilities of the parties to it. The motion was carried unanimously. Speoch by Sir J. Ward, The Lord Mayor invited Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister of New Zealand, to endorse the resolution. Sir Joseph Ward, who was accorded an ovation when he rose to speak, said the people of New Zealand appreciated the striking advance Mr. Taft's proposals were upon any existing treaty, or any tho world had seen hitl.erto. Questions of national honour had been uniformly omitted from international treaties. These too often in the. past had kept the word of promise to the oar, while in tho hour of crisis they had been broken. The hope underlying (ho present proposal was the genuine, sincars, national love of peace marking two of the most progressive countries in the world. Speaking on behalf of Now Zealand and the other oversea dominions, Sir Joseph Ward heartily supported tho motion, in the interests of the' Anglo-Saxon race and the world at large. BRITAIN AND GERMANY. A FRIENDLY INTERCHANGE OF VIEWS.., (Rec. April 30, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 29. At a meeting in London to promote an Anglo-German rapprochement, Professor Sieper, of Munich, indicated that a friendly interchange of views between the two Governments was proceeding in reference to tho diminution of armaments. This might lead to further development*. Lord Lareburn (the Lord High Chancellor), who presided, said he hoped soon to hear good news in regard to Germany, and ho hoped to see a similar gathering in Germany to that just held at the Guildhall. SCEPTRE OF WORLD-WIDE DOMINION. WHAT MAT HAPPEN. New York, April 28. ■ Speaking at a banquet, Mr. W. B. Northrup, a member of the Canadian House of Commons, alluded to tho prospect of the scoptro. of world-dominion passing one day from Europe to America. He said it would perhaps even.be necessary to tight for it, and he hoped in such an eventuality that Canada would stand side by side with tho United States, and bo supported by wealth and treasure of her sister nations under tho Imperial flag.