An essay about the role of the press in the advancement of peace between nations. Kuyper points out the ambiguous character of the international press. On the one hand, the press corps applauds peace. On the other hand, with every threat of war the press stokes national sentiment and, once war has broken out, members of the press widely report acts of war in an often sensationalized manner. Kuyper identifies three conditions, by satisfying which the European press can offer leadership in the service of peace. He concludes by mentioning the presses of smaller nations, opining that the Dutch press compares quite favorably to its peers.

The essay was published as the second article in the first yearbook of Grotius. With an eye to ever-increasing international traffic, this series (1913–1944) aimed to provide articles in the field of international relations and international law. The annuals were named after Hugo de Groot (1583–1645), a Dutch lawyer who became particularly well known through his development of the idea of a universal community of law based on a set of legal principles acceptable to all nations.