Union Labor Bulletin

Young People and Peace Treaties

On April 6, 1927, the tenth anniversary of the entry of the United States into the World War, M. Briand, the foreign minister of France, proposed to the people of the United States the "renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy."

"France," he said, "would be willing to subscribe publicly with the United States to any mutual agreement tending to 'outlaw war' (to use an American expression) as between these two countries." The French Cabinet, according to the New York Times of June 28, 1927, endorsed this proposal, and the American ambassador, Mr. Herrick, on behalf of the French government, brought to our State Department in June a definite project for a "treaty of eternal peace" between France and the United States.

Forty-three nations have already negotiated 82 treaties in which they agree to settle their differences without war. The United States is not among the nations that have negotiated such treaties. France has signed five; Great Britain one. Our present arbitration treaty with France expires in February, 1928; that with Great Britain in June, 1928. Several great national organizations and many leaders of thought in the United States have endorsed the proposal that our country make treaties with France and other responsible nations providing amicable ways of dealing with problems arising between them.

If such treaties are to be negotiated and ratified this winter or next spring, the President and Senate must know that public sentiment favors such action. This sentiment doubtless exists in a large degree throughout the country; it should be given expression. The young people of the world are deeply concerned in the discovery of other and better methods than war of settling international disputes.