Celebrate Peace To Make It Last.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 7, 1913:
That Is the Aim Announced by Conference of British and American Leaders.
TO ENDOW PROFESSORSHIPS
And Carry On Peace Propaganda — Luncheon and Reception for Distinguished Visitors.
    The international conference of the delegates of Great Britain and her colonies and of the United States, who are meeting in New York this week for the purpose of perfecting the plans for the celebration in 1915 of 100 years of peace among English-speaking peoples, adopted yesterday a series of suggestions on the form that great celebration should take. Joseph H. Choate presided at the conference, which was attended by every one of the American and the visiting conferrees. The meeting was held at the Hotel Plaza.
    The suggestions, it was said, were only in tentative form, but there was little reason to doubt but that they would all be adopted. The first suggestion had to do with the platform of the celebration and stated that the central idea should be not only a programme for the celebration of 100 years of peace but also a statement of purposes for the perpetuation of that peace.
    The second suggestion related to international monuments to commemorate the centennial, and will probably be identical in design. With regard to these monuments, these suggestions were made:
    That these monuments be erected in Great Britain and the United States and in their dominions and possessions beyond the sea.
    That the committee request their respective Governments to defray the cost of these monuments, or that the cost be defrayed in part from public funds or by private subscriptions.
    That the foundation stones be laid on a selected day, if possible, by his Majesty the King in Great Britain and by the President of the United States and by their representatives in their respective dominions and possessions over the seas.
    That in view of the good relations prevailing between the American and British peoples and other nations, all foreign Governments should be cordially invited to honor the more important of these occasions by a full representation.
    That at the time fixed for laying the foundation stones there should be a stop of five minutes from work throughout all the countries interested.
    That at the time fixed the work in all schools be stopped, appropriate exercises be held and a half holiday to follow.
    The third suggestion had to do with the educational features of the celebration, and it was urged that an organized endeavor be made throughout Great Britain, her colonies, and the United States to promote feelings of mutual respect and good will, which to-day exist. For the furtherance of this idea the suggestions were:
    The endowment of chairs of British-American history, with special reference to the peaceful progress and relations of the two peoples, and based upon the principle of an interchange of professors; and the endowment of traveling scholarships to enable journalists and writers to visit the various English-speaking countries.
    The awarding of prizes for essays, on similar topics in all schools, colleges, and universities.
    The co-operation of the respective committees in the preparation of a history of the century of peace, from which textbooks and school looks in the several countries may be prepared or revised.
    An annual peace day celebration in the schools.
    The fourth suggestion was that a universal type of commemorative tablet be adopted, these tablets to be placed in appropriate public buildings and affixed to monuments in the localities concerned.
    In the fifth place, it was suggested and agreed to that a day selected at a future meeting should be set aside for religious services of thanksgiving.
    The sixth and last suggestion was that an international commemorative medal of the event be designed.
    Other matters which were brought up but are to receive further consideration had to do with the erection of permanent monuments on the American-Canadian border, the proposed celebration in the City of Ghent, where the treaty that began the 100 years of peace was signed, and the proposal for a world peace celebration in San Francisco.
    Immediately after the executive session the members were the guests of Henry Clews at a luncheon at the Plaza. Those at the luncheon included Lord Weardale, the head of the British delegation; Sir George H. Reid, the High Commissioner for Australia in London; Sir Edmund Walker of Canada, Sir Herbert Eustace Maxwell, Neil Primrose, M.P.; Moreton Frewen. M.P.; Earl Stanhope, James Allen Baker, M.P.; Capt. Charles Frederick Hamilton, Raoul Dandurand, Travers Lewis, Charles Thomas Mills, M.P.; Eugene H. Outerbridge, Clyde Bruyn of Ghent, Mayor Gaynor, Joseph H. Choate, William A. Clark, Chauncey M. Depew, Austen G. Fox, A. B. Humphreys, Austin B. Fletcher, William C. Demorest, Dr. John H. Finley, Dr. George F. Kunz, John A. Stewart, William B. Howland, John D. Crimmins, Timothy L. Woodruff, Isaac N. Seligman, and Dr. Elgin R. L. Gould.
    Mr. Clews made the first speech. He cited the war in the Balkans as an example of the hardships and cruelty of armed conflict between nations.
    "It must be a matter of wonderment," he said, "to some of the European nations that, although for thousands of miles British and American possessions are divided by an almost imaginary line, not one soldier, not one gunboat, not one fort, has been needed for an entire century to protect the life or insure the rights of the citizens of these two countries. This is as it should be with Christian nations."
    Mr. Clews then offered this toast, which was drunk standing:
    "To the King of England: May his Majesty prove worthy to be the son of his father and the grandson of the highly revered and dearly beloved Queen Victoria."
    Lord Weardale was then called on. He said:
    "My remarks indeed are few, and in that sense I respond most directly to your appeal. I take this opportunity to discharge the one obligation which is imposed upon me of thanking our kind host in the name of all our friends. Now, gentlemen, I have a duty and a pleasure to perform, which is to honor the President of the United States. No matter what party may be in power, it is a matter with which we Englishmen' have no concern. We honor the man who is the choice of your great country and who represents the position of the great office which makes him the head of nearly a hundred million people."
    After the Clews luncheon the delegates went into a second executive session, and at its conclusion went to the home of Dr. and Mrs. Louis Livingston Seaman, at 247 Fifth Avenue, where a reception was given in their honor.
    The visitors were escorted to Dr. Seaman's home by members of a committee, of which William Curtis Demorest was Chairman. Gathered to meet the members of the conference were many men and women. They were received by the committee, at the head of which were Dr. and Mrs. Seaman. Mrs. William A. Perry presided in the tearoom, assisted by Mrs. Chauncey C. Stillman and Mrs. E. R. L. Gould. In the jade-room Mrs. Jonathan Thorne presided, assisted by Mrs. Edward H. Ripley, Mrs. E. B. Hewitt, Miss Wyeth, Miss Rodd, and Miss Julia Wells. In the punch-room were Mrs. Rowland, Mrs. Simmons, Mrs. Edward Finch, and Mrs. General Griffin. In the room where the ices were served Mrs. J. Warren Goddard presided, assisted by Mrs. Chauncey M. Depew, Mrs. Emma von Juch Wellman, and Miss Isabella Rutte.
    Among those present were Arthur F. Schermerhorn, Mr. and Mrs. Charles de Kay, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Livingston, Mr. and Mrs. William A. Butler, Dr. and Mrs. E. R. L. Gould, Walter Courtenay Bennett, Mrs. Walter H. Page, Gen. Horace Porter, Bishop and Mrs. Greer, the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. William T. Manning, Gen. and Mrs. Thomas F. Barry, Mrs. Julia Locksmith, Mr. and Mrs. J. Vanvechten Olcott, Judge Alton B. Parker, Mr. and Mrs. Howland Pell, R. Stuyvesant Pierrepont, Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey N. Depew, Mrs. Henry Taft, Mr. and Mrs. Austen G. Fox, Dr. and Mrs. John H. Finley, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rutherford, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Gould, Henry Clews, Mrs. Algernon S. Sullivan, Justice John W. Goff, Justice Vernon M. Davis, Mrs. Jonathan Thorne, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Burleigh, William Curtis Demorest, Dr. George F. Kunz, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Underwood Johnson, Frederic R. Coudert, Mrs. John Purroy Mitchel, and Mrs. Julia Chester Wells.
    Last night the visiting and American members of the conference were the dinner guests of Cornelius Vanderbilt at his home, 677 Fifth Avenue.
    The delegates will continue to-day their discussion on the plans for the centenary celebration. They will be entertained at luncheon at the Lawyers' Club by Walter Courtenay Bennett. This afternoon from 4 to 6 they will attend a garden party at Andrew Carnegie's home. This evening they will be the guests at dinner of Nicholas Murray Butler, President of Columbia University, and William Church Osborn.
    On Friday night the official dinner to the visitors will be held at the Hotel Astor. Secretary of State Bryan will be the principal speaker and among the other speakers will be Gov. Foss of Massachusetts, Gov. Goldsborough of Maryland, Gov. Tener of Pennsylvania, and Gov. Eberhard of Minnesota.