17 MAY 1913, Page 1

In the United States there has been much talk of

universal peace during the week. Last Saturday at a banquet given to the foreign delegates to the International Peace Conference Mr. Bryan was the chief speaker. He said that the intention of the American Government was to sign treaties with every country that would agree to them. It was peculiarly the duty of America to do this, as the American people were composed of all nations. The proposal that there should be no hostilities until a dispute had been reported on by an international tribunal was of the highest importance. He earnestly believed that if the nations could agree upon this point alone it would be one of the greatest steps towards peace that had ever been taken. Time would thus be given for the separation of questions of fact from questions of honour. The nations of the earth would ultimately be knit together by agreements, and the danger of war would be removed.