19103 An Ojfficial Peace Commission 



It seemed to me that the idea of war was now 

 regaining its lost repute, especially with the so-called 

 upper classes. The reason for this apparently lay The root 

 in their fear of the loss of power, the spirit of ''■^"'°'' 

 Treitschke's aphorism: "Foreign war is the swift 

 remedy for internal unrest and failure of patriot- 

 ism." 



Meanwhile some of us began to get busy. Oscar 

 T. Crosby, a prominent engineer, supported by cer- 

 tain other pacifists, succeeded in inducing Congress 

 to provide for a Peace Commission to visit Europe 

 on an errand of conciliation, its personnel to be 

 appointed by President Taft; ten thousand dollars 

 was appropriated for expenses. Taft then turned 

 the whole matter over to Secretary Knox, at whose 

 request I furnished a list of suitable persons.^ But 

 Knox never made the appointments, preferring to Thecom- 

 let the commission lapse. To me he explained that 

 he feared such a body might injure our interests in 

 Europe by indiscreet conversations or promises, 

 despite "the small size of the appropriation, which 

 would fortunately prevent it from doing much 



' THE WHITE HOUSE 

 Washington 



December 16, 1910 

 My dear Mr. Secretary: 



This will introduce to you President David Starr Jordan, who is one of our 

 Commissioners with Canada to settle the fisheries dispute, and who has been in 

 Canada agreeing upon the final steps that we both have to take in order to carry 

 out the treaty. Professor Jordan is especially interested in peace matters, and 

 looks upon the proposed Arbitral Court of Justice as perhaps the most impor- 

 tant step toward peace that is now contemplated. I wish you would talk with 

 him and discuss with him the uses to which the Peace Commission might be 

 put — I mean that instrument that Congress created without knowing exactly 

 what to do with it. 



Sincerely yours, 



{Signed) Wm. H. Taft 

 Hon. P. C. Knox 

 Secretary of State 



C 335 a 



mission 

 lapses 



