Peace Plan

Edward W. Bok's offer of $100,000 for a practical plan to promote peace (TIME, Jan. 7) bore fruit that tasted differently in different mouths. Its text was made public, with two summaries attached, the shorter of which follows:

I. That the United States shall immediately enter the Permanent Court of International Justice under the conditions stated by Secretary Hughes and President Harding in February, 1923.

II. That without becoming a member of the League of Nations as at present constituted, the United States shall offer to extend its present cooperation with the League and participate in the work of the League as a body of mutual counsel under conditions which

1. Substitute moral force and public opinion for the military and economic force originally implied in Articles X. and XVI.

2. Safeguard the Monroe Doctrine.

3. Accept the fact that the United States will assume no obligations under the Treaty of Versailles except by Act of Congress.

4. Propose that membership in the League should be opened to all nations.

5. Provide for the continuing development of international law.

Mr. Bok offered his prize for a practical plan. Probably the chief point on which the practicability of the plan hangs, as far as political achievement is concerned, is that it contains the words "the League of Nations." With the plan is a ballot asking the question : "Do you approve the winning plan in substance?"

On this question the people of the country are asked to vote "yes" or "no." Irreconcilable Republican politicians immediately told the press that as far as they were concerned the answer is "no." The alignment of opinion almost immediately seemed to be along the same cleft which divided the country on the League of Nations a few years ago. It remains to be seen whether the people, like politicians and the greater part of the press, will follow this old alignment.

There was a considerable opinion in the press that the plan presented nothing new and this was described either as "inevitable" or "unfortunate." An amusing example of the contrast of opinion appeared at once in the Manhattan papers:

The New York Times :

Let it be said at once that Mr. EDWARD BOK's prize for a peace plan has ceased to be open to ridicule. Any man from now on who seeks merely to make fun of it will make himself ridiculous. A scheme which has gained weight and dignity by the names and counsel of ELIHU ROOT, JOHN W. DAVIS, Judge LEARNED HAND, General HARBORD, Governor MILLER, Colonel HOUSE and honorable women not a few is no longer fair game for flippant humorists.

The New York Herald:

The winner of the $100,000 Bok prize for the best pan for American cooperation with other nations to preserve the peace of the world cinch," he will said get to easy money. looking "This over is the Bok named committee. "Why, every one is 'an internationalist and a League of Nations 'fan. It's a frame -- what you call in court 'trials a packed jury. "I am going to plan plunge on The preserving League peace. of "There isn't anything else to it. . The answer 'of the committee is as good as in now. "Gee, it's too bad to take the money, but I "can use it."

Meanwhile in Philadelphia Samuel Vauclain, President of the Baldwin Locomotive Works had been offered the Chairmanship of the Philadelphia Citizens' Committee on the Bok peace award and he said:

"If Mr. Bok wants to run a side show, that's all right, but I don't want to be in on it. We have one of the finest and most able secretaries of State in Mr. Hughes this country has ever had. Calvin Coolidge is one of the brainiest men who ever sat in the President's chair. I've known him for years. I knew him long before he was Vice President, and I knew he was a man of brains, big brains, years ago.

"Now, I have been in a great many countries during the last five years. I happen to know, as well as Mr. Hughes does, that we cannot recognize the Russian Government.

"But it is not my job to go down to Washington and tell Mr. Hughes what to do.

"I have nothing against Mr. Bok, but I do not want to be drawn into running side shows."

Meanwhile in Boston, Edward A. Filene had instituted plans for a peace award, similar to that of Mr. Bok, to be held in England, France, Italy. The prize will be $50,000. Leon Bourgeois, former President of the Council of the League of Nations, Senator de Jouvenel, editor of Le Matin; Tommaso Tittoni, President of the Italian Senate, and Professor Gilbert Murray are cooperating in the effort.