Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-17
Speaker at Peace Conference
Declares Disarmament Now
Is Impossible
VAN cLEvE CREATES a STIR
President of National Manufacturers
Association Takes Issue With Other
Speakers at Peace conference-Must
Pay Respect to Conditions That
Confront Us.

New York, April 17.-Commercial
America takes no stock in the prophe-
cies of the immediate disarmament OF
the nations This was made clear to
the enthusiastic peace advocates
crowding the national arbitration and
peace congress at the Hotel Astor yes
teraay afternoon, when James w. Van
Cleave, of st. Louis, sole representa-
tive of the manufacturing interests OF
the country at the congress, predicted
failure for Americas Forthcoming de-
mand at The Hague peace conference
for a limitation of the armament of the
nations.
mo man in this great assemblage
would rejoice more sincerely than L.
| said Mr. Van Cleave, "at the estab-
lishment of universal and eternal peace,
but am compelled by circumstances
to say that the United States can not
safely lose sight of cromwelrs injun:-
tACI " ehVSP ouI poNdOl loo
Britain, Spain and the Ul,ited States
are to propose in The Hague peace
conference in June a Limitation of the
ornaments of the nations. Russia,
Germany and Austria will oppose this
proposition. This means that many
years must pass before the nations
disband their armies and navies or
place any restrictions upon their ex-
pansion.
las practical men we must pay de-
cent regard to the conditions which
confront us. Therefore I say tina,
Tennyson's parliament of man and
federation of the world will not come
in the lifetime of anybody in this hall.
wish 1t were here in 1907. / wish,
even that we were assured of getting
1t in 1917 or 1927, but is is ,impossi
BILE.
American manufacturers as hui
manitarians and as business men, favor
world peace. 'Unhappiy, however,
George Washington's declarations that
to be prepared for war is the best way
of preserving peace is as applicable
to America today as to the, America to
which it was addressed.
Speaking for the commercial inter-
ests Mr.. Van Cleave not only fore
doomed the American peace confer
ence demand to defeat, but indire city
suggested the likelihood Of. future war
fare for the United States.
This country must be friendly to
all races and 10 all peoples said Mr..
Van Cleave. ut must meet it's obli-
cations as a member of the family of
nations. When disagreamefts arise,
then, if they do arise, we shall have
so ordered our conduct az to appeal to
the worlds sense of fairness and JUS
tice. We shall be able 10 submit our
case to any impartial tribunal with
the faith that our position will COM
mand the worlds approval.
But suppose that, even with right
on our side, Justice is denied US. What
then? Then we must accept. Davy
Crockett's doctrine. Being sure that
we are right, we must go ahead. There
national safety which can not be sub
mitted to any International tribunal.
Mr.. Van Cleave spoke, he said, in the
interest of the manufacturers whose
monetary interest in an international
peace is represented by capital of
$14, 900, OO0, 900, with annual products;
worth SIG, 900, 100000, and with $780,
900 workers, who will be paid $4,000
100000 during the current year. He
urged that this interest, producing an
nually manufactures worth as much
as all the property in Spain, should
have a voice i'll the formulation of any
international peace plan.
Il Eve Americans can not work effect
lively for harmony between the ma
TONS" Mr.. Van Cleve said, until we
get peace at home. We must have In
dustrial peace Harmony btween en-
ployers in all callingsi and between
employers and workers; is one thing
we must bring about We must have
peace between the great political par
ties by abolishing the demagog in
each of them and by keeping the dem
agog abolished, Then when we speak
in behalf of peace we will be speaking
with the voice of S5,oO0,00o people and
in behalf of a country which has as
much wealth as any two nations IN
the world combined.
American manufacturers want an
arbitration board to settle information
al disputes. his dTDItCdtlOIl, uOWSSeI,
must be based on Justice to all. We
want q. tribunal in which all the lead
ing nations will be represented to
peaceably consider issues in dispute
between nations. We want that court
ito be backed by the sentiment of the
world, and, if need be- the armies and
navies of the great nations. That kind
of court will make settlements which
will stay settled. 1t will command the
| worlds respect"
Mr.. Van Cleve spoke strongly in ia
vor of the Monroe doctrine. He held
that policy to be one which the United
States can never safely submit to arbi-
tration by the Hague conference or
any other conciliatory body. He de-
clared it principle which has done
| more to promote w,,rld peace than
any other ore thing, and gave it as his
opinion that had not it been enforced
the United States would either have
been forced out of existence or would
occupy small place among the ma
tons.