Peace Award

In Edward W. Bok, of Philadelphia, Mr. Harding has found an able ally in his campaign for world peace.

Edward W. Bok, as his autobiography (The Americanization of Edward Bok) gives evidence, has had a remarkable career. Beginning as an obscure immigrant Dutch boy, he rose to be editor of The Ladies' Home Journal, became son-in-law of Cyrus H. Curtis, the publisher, established himself as a leader in the magazine world, then retired to devote himself to public service. He created the Philadelphia award of $10,000 yearly for the person who performs the greatest service for that city, for several years anonymously made up the deficit of the Philadelphia Orchestra--no small matter. His latest "benefaction," however, was conceived on a larger scale than anything previous.

He has offered $100,000 to the man or organization that shall propose the most practical plan by which the United States may cooeperate with other nations to gain world peace. The award is to be divided into two parts of $50,000 each. The first part will be awarded to the author of the plan chosen by the jury of award. The second part will be awarded when the practicability of the plan is demonstrated "either through adoption by the United States Senate or because a sufficient popular response endorses it."

The New York Evening Post pertinently remarked that if the award were to be divided in conformity with the comparative difficulty of these two tasks, $100 would be given for the plan and $99,900 for getting it adopted by the Senate, or equivalent.

Mr. Bok appointed a policy committee to lay down the exact terms of the contest and the giving of the prize, which will be known as the American Peace Award. This committee will in turn select the jury to choose the winning plan.

Heading the committee is Miss Esther Everett Lape, writer and a prominent supporter of Governor Pinchot, elected in Pennsylvania last Fall. Other members of the committee are: John W. Davis, former Ambassador to Great Britain; Federal Judge Learned Hand; William H. Johnston, President of the International Association of Machinists; Nathan L. Miller, recent Governor of New York; Henry L. Stimson, former Secretary of War; Melville E. Stone, of the Associated Press; Mrs. Gifford Pinchot, wife of the Governor of Pennsylvania; Mrs. Ogden Reid, wife of the publisher of the New York Tribune; Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, wife of the former Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Mrs. Frank A. Vanderlip, wife of the retired banker.