8. Since the best guarantee for the preservation of world peace lies in the creation of international law and custom, arbitration must be substituted for war. 9. Disputed regions of the earth should be neutralized. 10. Free trade in all colonies. PEACE PROPOSALS AND PROGRAMS 7. HOLLAND NEDERLANDSCHE ANTI-OORLOG RAAD The Hague Founded on the 8th of October, 1914 [Sidenote: Dutch Anti-War Council.] The Council is of opinion that the following principles are indispensable to attain a lasting peace: 1. Concert of the Powers instead of mutually opposed Alliances; 2. Limitation of armaments by international regulations; 3. Influence of the different Parliaments on the peace-treaty; 4. Avoidance of the dangers engendered by annexation or by transfer of territory against the will of the population; 5. Removal of the obstructions to commerce or at least of difference in treatment of the various nations in colonies and settlements, according to international regulations. 6. New endeavors to promote compulsory arbitration and compulsory inquiry of international differences. DIFFERENTIAL NEUTRALITY FOR AMERICA One would prefer to think otherwise, but the truth probably is that the future peace of the world, and the nature of international organization depends a good deal less upon definitely conceived plans like that of the League to Enforce Peace (however admirable and desirable it may be to promote definite projects of that kind) than upon the nature of the foreign policy which each nation individually pursues. Disagreements between nations arise generally in situations in which both sides honestly believe themselves to be in the right. Most nations are honestly in favor of peace in general, and would go to The Hague and assist in drawing up plans to maintain it; yet each may be persisting in a line of conduct which, in its own view entirely defensive and defensible, appears to another unwarrantably aggressive. And when that is the case paper arrangements for avoiding conflict are apt to break down. So the most practical question for each of us for some time is likely to be this: what will be the effect of our own country’s conduct in its relations with other countries, upon the future peace and international condition of the world? Or, to put the question in another form: What can our country _do_, irrespective of what others may do, to contribute to a more orderly international condition, saner world politics?