MANKIND IN COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3205, 28 April 1911, Page 2

MANKIND IN COUNCIL.

THE UNIVERSAL RACES CON-

GRESS

I had an interesting conversation, says the London correspondent of a contemporary. writing on February 2, with Air Gustav Spiller, the hon. organiser of the first Universal Races Congress, to be held in London next July. The Hon. W . Pember Reeves is chairman of the Executive Committee, and a number of visitors from the dominion are expected to take part. Sir Joseph Ward is one of the honorary vice-presi-dents of the Congress, which is under the presidency of Lord AVearda.le. Air Spiller stated that he was communicating with the New Zealand Government to see whether any representatives of the Maori race could take part in the Congress.

This Congres promises to be one of the most influential of our time. Its supporters hail from no less than fifty countries and every paper referring to a particular people lias been prepared by someone of high standing belonging to it. The object of the Congress will be to discuss, in the light of modern knowledge and modern science, the general relations subsisting between the peoples of the West and these of the East, between so-called white and socalled colored peoples, with a view to encouraging between them a. fuller understanding, the most friendly feelings, and a heartier co-operation. Political isues of the hour will be subordinated to this comprehensive .end, in the firm belief that when once mutual respect is established difficulties of every type will be. sympathetically approached and readily solved. The origin of this Congress is easily explained. The interchange of material and immaterial wealth between the different races of mankind has of late vmrs assumed such dimensions that the old attitude of distrust and aloofness is giving way to a general desire for closer acquaintanceship. Out of this interesting situation has sprung the idea of holding a Congress where the representatives of the different races might meet each other face to face, and might, in friendly rivalry, further the cause of mutual trust and respect between Occident and Orient, between the so-called white peoples and the socalled colored peoples.