The Carnegie Council was founded in 1914 by Andrew Carnegie in New York City. Carnegie gathered together numerous religious leaders, scientists and politicians, and appointed them trustees of a new organization, the "Church Peace Union" (CPU). Carnegie hoped to create, with the religious and secular leaders, a new moral leadership to prevent armed conflict. The CPU was established shortly before the outbreak of World War I. The planned international inaugural meeting, on Lake Constance, could not take place due to the outbreak of war. First President of the CPU was William P. Merrill. The first activities of the organization were educational programs, calls for reductions in military spending and an end to military education in public schools.