London, in the Royal
Gallery of the House of Lords, on July 26, 1906, at the session of
the Interparliamentary Union or Peace Congress. It is given here by
special permission of Mr. Bryan and his publishers--Funk and
Wagnalls Company, New York and London.

I regret that I cannot speak to you in the language which is usually
employed in this body, but I know only one language, the language of my
own country, and you will pardon me if I use that. I desire in the first
place to express my appreciation of the courtesy shown me by Lord
Weardale, our president, and by Baron von Plener, the chairman of the
committee which framed the model treaty. The latter has framed this
substitute embodying both of the ideas (investigation and meditation)
which were presented yesterday. I recognize the superior wisdom and the
greater experience of this learned committee which has united the two
propositions, and I thank this body also for the opportunity to say just
a word in defense of my part of the resolution. I cannot say that it is
a new idea, for since it was presented yesterday I have learned that the
same idea in substance was presented last year at Brussels by Mr.
Bartholdt, of my own country, who has been so conspicuous in his efforts
to promote peace, and I am very glad that I can follow in his footsteps
in the urging of this amendment. I may add also that it is in line with
the suggestion made by the honorable prime minister of Great Britain,
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, in that memorable and epoch-making speech
of yesterday, in that speech which contained several sentences any one
of which would have justified the assembling of this Interparliamentary
Union--any one of which would have compensated us all for coming here.
In that splendid speech he expressed the hope that the scope of
arbitration treaties might be enlarged. He said:

"GENTLEMEN, I fervently trust that before long the principles of
arbitration may win such confidence as to justify its extension to
a wider field of international differences. We have already seen
how questions arousing passion and excitement have attained a
solution, not necessarily by means of arbitration in the strict
sense of the word, by referring them to such a tribunal as that
which reported on the North Sea incident; and I would ask you
whether, it may not be worth while carefully to consider, before
the next Congress meet