had been about one important case of arbitration between nations each year. "Only four or five of these are known to most people," said the report, "for one war makes more noise than a hundred arbitrations and costs more than a thousand."

It was at about this time that the Venezuelan dispute arose, which seemed at first to threaten war between the United States and England. The Chamber, at a meeting held January 2, 1896, proposed that this dispute be referred in the interests of peace to a commission of inquiry. It was at this meeting that Carl Schurz delivered a powerful speech for peace, describing the horrors of war and laying down this broad principle for the conduct of nations: "No war is justifiable unless its cause or object stand in just proportion to its cost in blood, in destruction, in human misery, in waste, in political corruption, in social demoralization, in relapse of civilization; and even then it is justifiable only when every expedient of statesmanship to avert it has been thoroughly exhausted."

The Chamber at that time entered into correspondence with other commercial bodies to enlist their co-operation in the movement for peace; and later it received communications from the Associated Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom, and from other bodies, reciprocating the desire for peace. The Bradford (England) Chamber declared in favor of a permanent court of conciliation or arbitration.

Early in 1897 the Chamber, on motion of William E. Dodge, adopted resolutions in favor of the ratification of the arbitration treaty between the United States and Great Britain, the resolutions reciting that "the advancing civilization of the world and all the business interests of this country make it wise to avail ourselves of this great opportunity to try the experiment of the substitution of law in place of war between the two countries." In a speech advocating

the adoption of these resolutions, Abram S. Hewitt declared that "the whole treaty is but the conclusion of those sublime doctrines which are found in the Sermon on the Mount, preached 2,000 years ago.'

In 1904 the Chamber sent delegates to an International Arbitration Conference, held in Washington, and these delegates voted in favor of a treaty with Great Britain, providing substantially for compulsory arbitration of all disputes-the delegates stating that, while they were not instructed, the Chamber might be relied upon to stand always for those things that make for peace between nations, for humanity and for national honor. The report referred to the failure of the treaty negotiated in 1896-7 to secure ratification, and said that if it had been ratified it would have been the highest achievement yet reached between nations for the maintenance of peace by arbitral procedure. It is of interest to recall that at the meeting of "the Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom, held in Manchester the same year, resolutions introduced by Sir Albert K. Rollit were adopted, which declared in favor of a treaty between the two countries," with a view to systematic reference to arbitration of differences. Later in the year the New York Chamber, by vote, expressed its gratitude for the action of the British Chambers. Thus the leading commercial organizations of the two great English speaking countries united in favor of compulsory arbitration of international disputes. At the annual banquet of the New York Chamber in 1904, former Secretary of State Olney made a plea for such a treaty. At its December meeting the Chamber urged the ratification of arbitration treaties with France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Portugal. In 1911 the Chamber sent delegates to a Peace Congress held in Washington, and elected Andrew Carnegie as an honorary member in recognition of his $10,000,000 gift to the cause of peace. Later in the year the

Executive Committee of the Chamber made a report, which was adopted, supporting President Taft's plan. of negotiating treaties with Great Britain and France, which was to establish an agreement of arbitration of all differences, whether involving money, property or honor. At the same time the London Chamber of Commerce adopted a resolution of similar character, and congratulating the New York Chamber upon President Taft's proposals.

In other ways than by thus invoking the power of public opinion in favor of treaties of arbitration, commercial organizations contribute mightily to the advancement of international unity:

BY PHILANTHROPY-Chambers of Commerce are prompt to take measures for the relief of distress caused by great disasters in other countries, thus serving to promote goodwill between nations. In 1793,

the New York Chamber appointed a committee of relief for refugees from San Domingo. In 1848 it aided in relieving the famine in Ireland. In 1856 it took action for relief of sufferers from floods in France. Even during our own Civil War its members extended a helping hand to the distressed cotton operatives in Great Britain, and the Chamber raised $150,000 for that purpose. In 1870 it took similar action for the relief of sufferers in France from the war with Germany, and appointed a Committee of Thirty to secure contributions; it raised $143,000 for that purpose, notwithstanding the fact, that the Chamber collected over a million dollars in the same year for the Chicago fire sufferers. In 1892 action was taken for the relief of sufferers in Russia; in 1895, for sufferers in Turkey; in 1897, for Cretan refugees and in 1898, for Cuban relief. In 1902, aid was extended by the Chamber to relieve distress caused by the earthquake in Martinique; in 1906, for relief of famine in Japan; in 1907, for relief of famine in China; in 1907, for relief of famine in Russia, and in 1909, for earthquake sufferers in

Italy. Thus, in the course of a hundred years, one Chamber of Commerce in New York was instrumental in affording relief to sufferers from various calamities in twelve different countries of the globe. Who, therefore, can estimate the contribution which all the commercial organizations in the world are making to international unity by the exercise of that broad charity which knows no racial or territorial limits, and which is a practical application of the divine proclamation of "Peace on earth; goodwill to men"?

BY HOSPITALITY-St. Paul put hospitality high among the virtues; and rightly so, for it promotes friendship, goodwill and peace, and it serves to remove prejudices, which are the offspring of ignorance and provincialism. Hospitality is commerce's right hand of fellowship, and Chambers of Commerce have the hand always outstretched in friendly greeting. The records of the New York Chamber show that in 1860 it appointed a Committee of Fifteen to welcome. ambassadors of Japan, which had then just been opened to international commerce by Commodore Perry, and in its address of welcome the Committee expressed the hope that "for ages to come Japan and the United States will be bound together by friendly relations, that peace, unfettered commerce and the offices of benevolence will make their intercourse." Since that day the Chamber of Commerce has by hospitality and in other ways many times contributed to the establishment of friendly relations with Japan. It was in 1860 also that the New York Chamber gave a reception to Hon. W. S. Lindsay, M. P., of England, in order to listen to an address by him on International Marine Law and other subjects tending to promote international unity. Years before-in 1842-the Chamber coöperated with the city authorities in hospitalities to a Commission from France to extend friendly intercourse between the two countries. As evidence of the breadth of the Chamber's hospitality, it is only neces

1

sary to cite the fact that in 1882 it entertained Sir Henry Parkes, Prime Minister of Australia; in 1889 it gave a reception to delegates representing twelve. countries in the International American Congress, when General Sherman, speaking to South America. and Canada, said: "The United States wish not to meddle with others; we seek no more territories;" in 1890 it entertained the visiting delegates of the British Iron and Steel Institute; in 1897 it received the representatives of the Chambers of Commerce of Mexico and Central and South America; in 1889 it gave receptions to Lord Charles Beresford and Vice President Mariscal of Mexico; in 1904 it entertained Prince Pu Lun of China and Prince Fushimi of Japan, and in 1905, Prince Louis of Battenberg; in 1906 it gave a reception to the Chinese Minister, and in 1907, to the British Ambassador; in 1909 it entertained the Japanese Commissioners, the representatives of Japanese commercial organizations, and the Admirals of visiting foreign fleets. During a series of annual banquets extending over a hundred years, it has entertained among others the following distinguished foreigners: Marquis Rochambeau, Baron von Steuben, Admiral Jaures, M. Bartholdi, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Joseph Chamberlain, Goldwin Smith, Lord Herschell, Prince von Pless, Sir Albert K. Rollit, John Morley, Senor Godoy, Ambassador Cambon, Ambassador Herbert, Ambassador von Sternburg, Ambassador Jusserand, Ambassador Rosen, Ambassador von Bernstorff and Ambassador Bryce. Representatives of many different countries, including several ambassadors, attended the dedication of its new building in 1902.

I give these facts simply because the hospitality extended by the New York Chamber is typical of that of commercial organizations everywhere. The London Chamber never fails to entertain distinguished foreigners, and several years ago it had as its special guests representatives of the New York Chamber. The