Armament Firms' Sinister Influence.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 21, 1913:
Protest Against It in Resolution Passed by Peace Congress at The Hague.
NEARLY 1,000 DELEGATES
Prof. de Louter, President of Congress, Argues for Absolute Independence of Individual States.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    THE HAGUE, Aug. 20.— The International Peace Congress was officially opened this morning by M. Heemskerk, provisional Premier and Minister of the Interior, acting on behalf of Prince Henry of the Nethelands. For the last three days various committees had been at work drawing up agenda and organizing debates for the six plenary sittings of the Congress, which will occupy the rest of the week.
    The delegates and members, numbering nearly 1,000, and coming from more than a dozen of the foremost countries of the world, met in the historic Ridderzaal, or Hall of Knights, a magnificent thirteenth century palace recently restored. It was in this spacious building that the second Peace Conference was held in 1907.
    Prof. de Louter of Utretcht was chosen as chairman, and addressed the opening meeting. He emphasized the progress made by the pacifc movement, especially in the United States, and referred in appreciative terms to the gift by Andrew Carnegie of the Peace Palace.
    Prof. de Louter urged that the task of the Congress was the promotion of the brotherhood of all nations, and said that this ideal did not conflict with patriotism.

    THE HAGUE, Aug. 20.— The chief work of the twentieth Universal Peace Congress at its opening session here today was the adoption of three resolutions dealing with disarmament.
    The first contained a request that the question of the restriction of armaments be included in the programme of the next International Conference at The Hague. The second protested against the sinister influence of persons interested in armament industries. The third recommended the consideration by peace societies of the draft of a general treatv for gradual disarmament, of which Prof. Quidde of the University of Munich is the author, in order that the next conference shall be in a position to discuss the subject with full information at hand.
    The Congress was opened amid scenes of great enthusiasm and with a determination on the part of the delegates to accomplish something practical to stem the tide of militarism. All the civilized nations are represented. Many of the delegates are women.
    Prof. de Louter in his inaugural address opposed the idea of a supernatural organization for the purpose of bringing about peace. This, he contended, could be accomplished only by the development of international law with absolute independence for individual States. Internationalism and patriotism were not, Prof. de Louter thought, incompatible.
    Prof. de Louter referred to the Palace of Peace as an expression of homage from the New World to the Old World. He said that while the East was shrouded in darkness the star of hope was ever brightening in the West.
    Prof. Quidde, in moving his resolution, severely blamed Germany for the latest increase in armaments in Europe. He said there would have been no increase by France but for the action of Germany.
    Other speakers declared that in spite of the recent events in the Balkans, the idea of universal peace was clearly progressing.
    In the course of the session compliments were paid to Andrew Carnegie and to his late fellow-worker, T. M. C. Asser, Minister of State and delegate of the Netherlands to the first and second Hague Peace Conference, who died on July 29.
    The congress this evening adopted a resolution that the difference between the United States and Great Britain regarding the Panama Canal act should be referred to The Hague Court of Arbitration.
    Much indignation has been expressed by the delegates at the failure to invite them to the opening of the Peace Palace. Not one of them was originally invited to the ceremony, and after pressure had been applied, only four have received invitations.