... Allow me to express my congratulations on the great step which the Tsar has taken on the path to which your most zealous apostleship has been devoted. It is a gigantic step, and, whatever may happen, the world will not shriek, “Utopia!” Disdain of our ideas is no longer possible; even if accomplishment does not immediately follow the work of the conference, which will assuredly take place, still, at all events, a beginning will have been made. This initiative will forever serve as a precedent.
The Empress Elisabeth’s death has greatly saddened me—ah! if only our ideas had been made effective ten years earlier, there would not be any anarchists now.
Henri Dunant
Founder of the Red Cross
The replies of the governments to the manifesto soon began to be received,—almost all in the affirmative. But sincerity was lacking in the tone of the acceptances and in the whole treatment of the invitation. Everywhere, simultaneously, an increase in armaments was seen to be under way. Very deplorable was the attitude of the German Social-Democratic party, which holds that only by this party can militarism be driven from the world; if any one else tries to do it, one who—nota bene—has the power to do it, then it is fraud and farce.
The Neue Hamburger Zeitung sent a note to distinguished contemporaries, requesting opinions on the Russian manifesto. Very interesting replies were received. Among those who were in favor, many of them enthusiastically in favor, were Leo Tolstoi, Maurus Jókai, Otto Ernst, Ernst von Wolzogen, Peter Rosegger, Dr. M. G. Conrad, Cesare Lombroso, and General Türr. I am going to introduce here, however, only some of the replies sent by opponents of the peace movement, because it seems to me most instructive, for understanding the development of universal ideas and social conditions, to learn the obstacles which had and still have to be overcome.
Small differences, like the Caroline Islands question, can be settled by arbitration; greater differences will continue to lead to tests of power ... perpetual peace is in heaven. There is no heaven on earth.
Friedrich Naumann
Retired Pastor
The history of many thousand years unfortunately argues against the possibility that war will ever cease.... At all events the Russian proposal for disarmament is one of the cleverest diplomatic moves of modern times.