THE WORLD STATE 149 



So we see that the newly created department of justice has had very 

 little to do — but the fact that it has had any disputes at all to decide is 

 a very hopeful sign. The tendency will undoubtedly be to have more 

 cases submitted. The example of Xorway and Sweden may be followed 

 by other states. A more valuable precedent would be a similar arrange- 

 ment by two first-class powers. 



2. The Interparliamentary Union, or the attempt to establish a 

 world congress or legislature. At present there is in existence an 

 organization called the Interparliamentary Union; it is composed of 

 members of the various legislative bodies of Europe and America; its 

 object is to have conferences periodically to discuss the means of bring- 

 ing about an international legislative body — a world congress or parlia- 

 ment. This union was founded in 1888 in Paris as a result of the 

 work of William Eandall Cremer, M.P., an English carpenter and labor 

 unionist. In 1889 the first regular conference was held in Paris, and 

 since then meetings have been held at most European capitals and in 

 some other important European cities and in St. Louis. It now has 

 more than two thousand members, all of whom fill seats in some na- 

 tional parliament. There are two hundred from the United States. 

 Membership is voluntary and lasts as long as the members retain seats 

 in their respective parliaments or legislatures. In discussing this 

 union we shall note its accomplishments to 1901, the work of the 

 meeting at St. Louis in that year and its most recent efforts to create 

 a world parliament. 



The achievements to 1901 are rather difficult to state. The move- 

 ment has grown gradually ; it has had practical statesmen as organizers, 

 leaders and members; their influence has been great in creating and 

 stimulating a sentiment in favor of universal peace and the means of 

 attaining that peace. From the beginning the conferences have at- 

 tempted to bring about international arbitration, and it is interesting 

 to note that at the Hague meeting in 1891 the conference declared in 

 favor of a permanent court of arbitration, and a commission of six 

 men was appointed to draw up plans for such. Thus it should be 

 remarked that this conference anticipated the Hague Peace Conference 

 by five years, and that the main work of the Hague Peace Conference 

 was due in no small degree to the work of the Interparliamentary 

 Peace Conference. 



One of the most prominent leaders, at least the most prominent 

 American leader, at present is Richard Bartholdt, congressman from 

 St. Louis. It was due to his influence at the 1903 meeting at Vienna 

 that the union held its conference at St. Louis in 1901. At St. Louis 

 the famous St. Louis resolution was drawn up by Bartholdt and 

 adopted unanimously by the conference. It declared in favor of the 

 following things: (]) There should be a conference of nations to con- 



