Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-02
VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT
Arbitration and Adequate Armament
Not Inconsistent.
MILITARY
PREPAREDNESS
Responds to Address Of the President
Of the North Carolina Peace So
ciety, Soon to Hold a Congress.

a short speech to the North Carolina
Peace Society. with headquarters at Will
mington, N. G. Hayne Davis. president
Of the society. and several Of the officers
and members were presented to the Presi-
dent at 2:3O o'clock by Senator Overman.
The peace society is compa ratively new
organization that is expected to spread
all over the county. Its objects are to
promote peace through international ar
bitration. but to equip the country with
vessels and munitions OF war to make
splendid defense in case Of attack
Mr.. Davis extended to the President a
cordial invitation to attend peace con-
gress to be held by the society the first
week In May and make all address. He
outlined the purposes of the congress,
closing as follows:
The North Carolina peace congress is.
therefore. not an event of mere local in
terest Though the action is local. the OBJ
ject Is International and the plans OF the
congress are such that 1t is certain to ex-
ert a national and perhaps an interna-
t1onal influence on two of the questions
most vital to the welfare of our people
and to the peace of the world
The President Approves.
The President gave his approval Of the
movement as follows:
Wants Four More Battleships.
with this purpose in view. 1 am now
negotiating arbitration treaties with the
various nations OF the world: and the Sen
ate Is ratifying them. l most earnestly
hope that at the same time, as an even
more important step toward peace, the
present Congress will provide for four
battleships and a sufficient number OF
colliers, and for the thorough fortifica-
ton of Hawaii and Guantanamo.
Il desire to thank you for this 0ppor-
tunity to support a genuine peace society
In its efforts for international arbitra-
ton; for peace societies merely jeopardize
the national welfare, and are profoundly
hostile to American national life, II they
obstruct the government in providing am
Pile military and naval power to meet
conditions in the actual world Of today"
Geentlemen: l am glad to learn that
the North Carolina Peace Society has de-
clared ITSELF in favor of adequate arma-
ment as well as effective arbitration.
There Is no Inconsistency in advocating
both of these things at the present time
OH the contrary, those who have the pub
lie welfare at heart fail in the perform
ance of a part Of their duty il they neg
lect to labor for both. Ehectual arbi-
tration should be desired by every far
sighted citizen: while under present con-
ditions, not to provide adequate arma-
ment would be inexcusable on the part OF
those charged with the responsibility of
preserving the rights of our peop.e. The
North Carolina Peace Society is 10 be con-
graduated on its position, and should be
supported by all good citizens in this effort
for the general welfare, and great credit
is due to the state of North Carolina for
this action. The entire nation and the
cause of peace and justice throughout the
world benefit by this new departure in
promoting the general peace movement.
Value Of Adequate Armament.
THE approaching Congress will certain
ly concentrate the thought Of our people
upon the fact that adequate armament
necessitates an unQuestionably superior
naval power In the waters adjacent to
our possessions, and that effective arbi-
tration necessitates agreements between
all the powers to respect each others ter
ritory and sovereignty in said territory
and to arbitrate all other questions The
acceptance of these facts as axiomatic
must speed the day when our own coun-
try will be so armed as to minimize
the chance of the wars that are invited
by national weakness, while the estab-
lishment of an effective system Of inter
national arbitration will greatly diminish
the chances Of conflict among nations of
approximately equal strength. The growth
Of the acceptance of the principle of in
ternational arbitration is necessarily slow.
We should do all we can to hasten it: but
as the world Is at present 1t is well to
remember that the acceptance Of this
principle in any measure whatever de-
pends exclusively upon the effective sup
port it receives from the half dozen pow
ers of great warliae strength. AS things
actually are at the present day. we are
nelDieSS further nf "a
and of effective International arbitrat ton
unless to just and peaceable Intentions
we add stout heart and a strong arm,
and this means military and naval pre-
paredness to a far greater degree than Is
at present the case"