Quieted Germany And England In 1911.

New York Times 100 years ago today, November 15, 1912:
Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler Tells How Peace Society Assuaged the War Sentiment.
PUT OUT NEGLECTED SPEECH
It Had Been Delivered by the British Minister of War at Oxford and Entirely Overlooked.
    How a peace society did much to bring about better relations between England and Germany and avert possible hostilities in 1911 was described yesterday by President Nicholas Murray Butler of Columbia, speaking before the New York Library Club in the Broadway Tabernacle. Dr. Butler, who is President of the American branch of the International Conciliation Association and Chairman of the Educational Extension Division of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, spoke on the subject, "The Relation of Libraries to the Peace Movement." He gave many practical suggestions tending to increase those relations and outlined the principal peace societies, their work, and their publications.
    "I know there have been many persons who, since the outbreak in the Balkans, have pointed out that it is a sad commentary on the propaganda and the work done to bring about peace in the world," he said. "Precisely the contrary is the fact. If the Balkan outbreak had taken place ten years ago it would have involved Europe in a terrible war. Think what that means, and then think of the change that has come about in a decade. The condition of public opinion as it existed ten years ago would have made it impossible of any other solution. Now the interests of sovereignty are changing, discussions are going on as to changes in territory and the taking of Constantinople, and all this without recourse to war.
    "The standard by which we must judge the work done for peace is not by comparison with what is happening, but by what would have happened — and only a decade ago. We are witnessing now, not a war, but a revolution, and we have not yet found a means of meeting that situation except by the unfortunate formula of force. We should congratulate ourselves that the war is so suddenly coming to a settlement, and without involving the Slav and Teuton.
    "You will remember that in 1911 there was grave friction in Europe, and two countries, Germany and England, were said to have been on the brink of open hostilities. At the height of the newspaper controversy on the subject and bitterness of feeling that distinguished gentlemen, Lord Haldane, the British Minister of War, made an address before Oxford University on 'The German People.' He had been a student in a German university. The subject attracted instant attention. Here was the Minister of War going to speak on the German people, and at such a time. You can imagine the interest aroused. Lord Haldane gave his address. Those who heard him heard a philosophical, interesting, even affectionate address on the Germans. It showed sympathy and understanding of them, and there was not a word of hostile comment in it.
    "Not a newspaper in Germany mentioned it, and very few of the English papers gave any of it to the public. A society with an eye on just such a thing at that critical time saw at once the importance and far-reaching effect that such a talk from the Minister of War would have. It telegraphed to Lord Haldane and obtained his permission to have it translated into German. It was printed and within a very short time it had been sent to 300,000 carefully selected addresses in all parts of the German Empire. It went to public officials, to bankers, to organization officers, and to many other persons. The newspapers took it up, and many editorial comments were printed upon it. In England it had a reflex action, and all this had its effect.
    "I am entirely sure that that one act did more to relieve the tension and bring about better relations between the two countries than anything that could have been done by an official act."
    Before President Butler spoke there was an election of members, and Andrew Carnegie became the latest member of the Library Club.
    Paul Brockett, in charge of the Smithsonian Institute section in the Congressional Library, told of some of the ways in which librarians and teachers might, co-operate to encourage the spread and accessibility of peace literature. Prof. von Noe of the University of Chicago could not be present, and his paper was read. Like Mr. Brockett, Prof. von Noe discussed two library functions that have a direct bearing upon international relations. International bureaus of information, they both pointed out, exist for the distribution of bibliographies, the study of social problems, and the exchange of educational information. Samuel T. Dutton, Secretary of the New York Peace Society, said that the libraries were the hope of peace sentiment, and that it was necessary not only for librarians to be informed as to what was going on in the movement, but to have the necessary literature and have it so that it would be accessible to all.