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R - THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, JULY 5, 1931. 9 How Is WORLD PEACE to Be Achieved? An Ansrwer From Helen Taft Manning, Dean of Bryn Mazr College and Daughter of William Howard Taft HOW TO STOP WARS Prevention of war is the most vital problem before the governments of the world today. Unless more people become educated to the practical necessity of such “idealism,” all civilization, as we know it, will be wiped out. Progressive limitation of arms will prevent another World War 4merica is in @ much stronger position to work for disarmament or arbitration than any other country. Women can do a valuable work in educating the people to think, not in the terms of a selfish outgrown nationalism, but in the broader field of all humanity. BY RUTH L. FRANKEL. l I O you think it possible for women to bring about world peace?” I asked Helen Taft Manning as we sat beside her desk in her big, sunny office in Taylor Hall, on the Bryn Mawr eampus. Across the lawn gay red tulips nodded! Somewhere outside the open window a thrush caroled. A pleasant hum of young voices, the sight of an occasional bare-legged, slim youngster hurrying by, made all thoughts of war seem rather silly. Sut the young dean of the college, her blue eyes very serious despite the quiet, cloistered charm of her small domain, replied soDerly: “If they stood together, they could, undoubtedly; but it is not easy to persuade women to unite in working for any cause. It is natural that many women should prefer to depend on their husbands and fathers and brothers for leader- ship rather than on other women. Yet they have a special interest in some causes, and I belicve that peace is one of them. All gen- eralizations about the sexes are open to dis- pute, but I thinrk that there are biological and historical grounds for believing that women are the conr-ervative sex. They really care about savirs things, and war, after all, means de- structicn.” I'DP., BEATRICE HINCKLE said at the first Conierence on the Cause and Cure cf War that when women value themselves and their impulses toward creation and the preser- vation of life as highly as those of men toward self-asseriion and power, they will be able to enforce their will and command peace,” 1 suejeitad. s At is true,” replied Mrs. Manning. “In faci, I believe that in America we've carried the organization of women’s clubs to such a remarkable degree that if world peace be- came as much an object of desire on the part of the women of the country as, for example, women suffrage was, there is no question at all that such pressure could be put on Con- gress and the Federal Government as would change the whole course of legislation and trea'y-making. “What women have to fight,” she continued, “are the reactionary groups of their own sex who have not yet been able to free themselves from the traditional and narrow-minded ideas of patriotism which flourished all over the world during the nineteenth century. I think the difficulty in working for peace, as con- trasted with suffrage or prohibition, is that the problem cf world peace is so infinitely more complicated than either cof the others appeared when under discussion. For instance, one either believed in prohibition (I take pro- hibiticn merely as a historical example of a cause which women wanted and got) or suf- frage, or on> disagreed. In either case, taking sides was simple. “But when world peace is brought up the question of methods instantly complicates it One group fee's that only by total disarmament can peace be maintained. Another believes solely in conferences and the education of public opinion. A third feels that gradual disarmament is the best method. A fourta seeks more powerful means of international legislation. Meanwhile, those who disagree with all pacifism feel that the country is actu- ally endangered by such ideals. “I think that if the whole matter can be prezented to the women of the country with- out the clouding of issues and with the right amount of historical perspective, it must be clear that the only hope of world peace lies, on the one hand, in the growth of the prac- tice of arbitration of international disputes between countries; and, on the other, through such policy with regard to armaments on the part of the most powerful nations in the world as to make it clear that they themselves have pinned their hope to peaceful settlement of future disputes as the only means of salvaging civilization.” “You are a member of the board of the Pennsylvania branch of the Women’s Intarna- tional League for Peace and Frecdom,” I said. “Do you beiieve that this organization, with its branches in 26 countries, is doing any- thing valuab'e for peace?” “Decidedly yes,” she replied. I am proud to have a small part in its achievements.” “And you feel that they are important?" “I think the importance of the Women's International League lies, first, in its interna- tional charact:r. since in its work it actually reaches groups of women in all nations all over the world: and second, in its records, which show that it hes pinned its faith from the beginning of its organization to the belief that war cén be avoided and should be avoided at all costs at this time in the world’s history. Such an organization gains power through its complete concentration on one subject, which gives it a drive that other organizations lack. Ever since its foundation just after the World War by Jane Addams, it has stood for ideal- ism and has at the same time worked all over the world in the most practical fashion for tolerance, friendliness and understandng among nations. Its appeal to the thinking, intelligent woman should be very great, especi- ally since it is the only international women's organization working for peace.” “You don't find it too idealistic?” I inquired. The blue eyes giew very serious as they gazed at the fireplace across the room, and the round chin with its appealing, deep-set dimple went up just a bit. “Idealism, such -as this, is what this world must get if it is to pull through at all. The prevention of war is the most vital problem before the governmen's of the world today. Unless more people become educated to the practical necessity of such ‘idealism,” all civil- ization, as we know it, will be wiped out.” “How do you and the students out here at Bryn Mawr feel about working for world peace?” 1 asked. “Bryn Mawr tries, of course,” replied Mrs. Manning, “to avoid any hint of propaganda. The faculty members are quite free to express their own views on any subject ,regardless of what they are. But, like all intelligent, think- ing people, we are, as a group, tremendously interested in inteinational affairs. This is a side of political life that, above all others, has great appeal for the college student. So much so that, though we try to vary the courses given year by year, there is always &n insistent demand for Dr. Fenwick’'s course on interna- tional law. Never a term goes by without an eager group wanting to ‘take’ this course. And each year, at g'aduation time2, I find an in- creasing number of students hopeful of work- ing in international orgarizations. Often they want to go into the diplomatic service, and I can with difficulty persuade them that this is not yet a fertile field for women’s work. As sacond choice, they generally decide to go to Geneva to work in one of the international or- ganizations there. Many of our students have gone into this field. “I am constantly surprised,” she continued, “at the real interest and concentration of young people in the international situation, as con- trasted to the indifference and apathy of the general public to the same questions. It seems as if these very vital problems have not yet touched the imagination of the man in the street. They probably seem to him too remote, too far from his daily struggle for existence. If he could be made to see that adherence of the United States to the World Court has more connection with his own job and the safety of his children than the score of the Athlétics or the latest gangster murder, perhaps he would become interested in such problems. If he could be made to realiz= that the cost of one battleship would almost solve the unemploy- ment problem and that another war would mean such a struggle over civilian centers that no possible protection could be devised for any one, young or old, he would probably begin to inquire more about the views of the people he sends as delegates to Congress and the various international conferences.” : 11\/OU have always been interested in peace, I imagine?” She smiled; that nice, simple smile which recalled her celebrated father, President Taft. “Yes, naturally. From my childhood up I heard much of treaties and arbitration and of various methods of settling disputes. My father, during his administ'ation, framed peace treaties with many lands, which attempted to extznd the scope of arbitration to fields which it had never reached before. Unfortunately, these were rejected by the Senate. Perhaps, if they had not failed, America would be more of a leader for peace in the world today than she is.” She paused. The simple dignity of her presence mada it obvious that, despite the fact that as a girl she had lived in the White House, her present high position as dean of her alma mater was held through her own merits alone, and not because she was the daughter of a former President of the United States. One felt that here was a true American princess, representing the highest type of American womanhood. “Like every one else,” she went on, “I was greatly disappointed at the results of the Wotld War. I did believe that if the allied countries were successful they would concentrate on or- ganization for peace. This has been done to a very limited extent. I was disappointed in the unwillingness of the United States to join the League of Nations and still believe it was one of the greatest national blunders we have ever committed. I think another World War would mean th> end of Western civilization as we have known it. While America might have a better chance of surviving as -a nation than most of the European count:ies, our develop- ment in what seem to me the real arts of civilization would, I b’lieve, be forever halted or handicapped. “The problem of preventing another World War seems to be of so infinitely greater impor- tance than any other problem that faces us to- day that the only question needing discussion is as to the best means to be adopted by us, as women and as Arhericans, to bring about that end. Personally, I don't see how it possibly can be done except by progressive limitation of arms. While I don’t pretend to understand the technicalities with regard to naval arma- ments, I believe that the American delegates should go to every armament conference with full instructions that they should not try to come away with every American interest safe- guarded, but that they should work first and all the time for a real solution of the interna. tional problem. I want to emphasize that America is In g much stronger position to work for dis. armament or arbitration than any other coun- try. I am convinced that no European or other country would voluntarily bring us inte a war against itself in the next hundred years. We are, therefore, strategically placed, so that we have greater opportunity and more responsi- bility for world peace than any other country in the world.” “What, then, do you think we should do at the disarmament conference to be held in Geneva next February?” I inquired. “Obviously,” she replied, “we should first of all realize that there is a difference between delegates instructed to protect our national interests at all costs and those sent to seek an international solution to the various problems; who will safeguard all nations from attack, and not just ourselves. Secondly, we should make a determined effort to begin really disarming, working gradually toward a complete abolition of arms. Mr. Hughes, as Secretary of State, made a big step in the right direction at the Washington Disarmament Conference, but I feel that we have not followed his lead and that we have allcwed ourselves to drift instead of driving forward. Our instructions to the delegates we send to such conferences are not clear enough nor insistent enough on the need for international progress. The nations must have a safeguard against war, but the size of their armies and navies should be based on a minimum technical reduirement for safey and should completely disregard the clamoring of the ignorant multitude |crying out for increases. “This is where the| Women's International League and the various other peace organiza- tions in the United States are doing such a valuable piece of work. They are educating people to think, and to think not in terms of a selfish, outgrown nationalism, but in the broader field of all humanity. The day has gone when people could close their doors to suffering and injustice outside, content that their own households were safe. Today, every man is his brother’s keeper. What concerns one nation ultimately affects all the others. So that, in order ‘or one to live happily, all must be protected. That one may be safe, all must unite. And women, the conservative group, must be helped to see this and led to unite to make common cause for peace. “We must also bring the importance of peace to the minds of our young people, and enlist their help. We want and need their support and tHeir enthusiasm. e believe that some- thing can be accomplistied among the grown- ups of today, but the great majority of the lat- ter class are imbued with ideas that were ine culcated in them years and generations ago. “If our youth are taught, and learn to re- spect the rights of others as individuals, then nations, in due time, will learn to respect each other. Wlfi- we get harmony among individ- uals, we.will have harmony among nationg.”