New-York tribune., 1909-05-04
TAFT FUR WORLD PEACE
MISSION OF AMERICA.
HIS Influence Will Be Used Il gainst
Var Here and ElSe1Chere.

Chicago. April 3-The following is the text OF
letter written by President Taft to Secretary Royal
L. Melendy of the National Peace Congress. and
which read at the opening of that body to-day
by Secretary Ballinger of the Interior Department
who had been delegated to represent the admins
traton:
My Dear Sir: l greatly regret that 1 am un-
able to attend the coming National Peace Congress
at Chicago and there to express my earnest sym
pathy with the object of the assembling of
many distinguished men in the interest Of world
peace. That progress has been made in the matter
one who has examined the gecor5 ~ s+ oe n1it any i,
IS true that ornaments go increasing in cost.
but 1T is also true that the burdens presented by
this competition in armament are growing heavier
and heavier, and the problems for solution
sistent with their increase become more and more
The possibilities Of war now arising come chiefly
countries where stability of internal control is
lacking The United States has contributed much
strengthen In tber, the cause Of law and order
This relation of guardian and ward between ma
uons and countries. in my judgment helps along
the cause of International peace and indicates
progress in civilization.
The policy of the United states in avoiding war
under all circumstances except those plainly in
consistent with honor or its highest welfare has
statement at my hands can oIiLy say JIdt so so
far my legitimate influence extends. while at
erted in the full in favor Of peace, not only as
between this country and other countries, but as
between our sister nations
ia, der KHeg verschIingt INNER die Besten'
C'War always devours the bestO- These words.
written by the German poet Schiller a century ago.
formed the theme of address by David Starr
Jordan, president of Leland Stanford Junior Uni
versity. He said in part:
War rs eamg aWays e reersa Of selection The
survival the ttest in the struggle for existence
race changes. In the red stress of human history
this natural process of selection is sometimes re.
versed A reversal of selection is the beginning OF
degradation 1t is degradation itself
The warlike nation OF to-day IS the decadeIt na-
tomorrow.
nature of things it must ever be
harvest is good. long the movement of his
tory the progress OF peace and industry leaves lor
Grafton The republic OF Rome lasted 50 long as
mere were romans ue rePu9IiC Il An IN i,
remain what we have learned to call American
In the great growth of fraternaI organizations in
the United States, Joseph B. Burtt Of Chicago.
speaking the evening session, expressed the be
lief that the peace movement has its greatest pres
ent factor.
Perhaps" Mr. Burtt said. "the greatest guar
against another civil in this country lies
in the fact that One-third of our men belong
fraternaI orders and taught to regard their
fellow men as brothers The members of nearly all
OF these orders have charged each other with
bayonets. nor killed each other with bullets"
Two sessions OF the congress were held to-day,
afternoon and evening the evening session was
itself held in parts, at Orchestra HAM, pre-
sided over by Emil G. Hirsch. of Chicago and the
other in the Fine Arts Building. Miss Jane Adams
the Chicago Settlement worker, being in the chair
Among other addresses of the evening was one on
organized Labor and Peace" by Samuel Gompers-
Some power which the world will heed must
take the initiative in proposing peace to the world
sad Robert Treat Paine. of Boston. in his opening
address at the morning session to-day we meet
here in Chicago in hopes that Chicago viii move
the United States take this Initiative Tor Whlch
the whole world waits
A world petition, having for its pu7pOrt the aooL-
ton Of war and substitution OF pacific means Tor
the settlement Of international difficulties. which
will be presented to the third Hague Conference
was discussed by Miss Anna B. Eckstein. OF Bos-
ton. The petition already has between 4Ooe" and
100000 signatures, declared Miss Eckstein' VINO
urged that it be made to represent majority
world vote when 1t is submitted TO the third Hague
Conference by a delegation Of peace workers from
all over the world
DR.. BENJAMIN F Trueblood. secretary OF the
American Peace Society. told Of the present posi-
ton of the peace movement, and Dean W. +.
Rogers of the Cincinnati Law School spoke OF
1.-THE Dawn Of Universal Peace
A letter was received from Secretary J. NJ DICK
inson of the War Department who is president OF
the peace congress- stating that he would De una
HE 10 attend the present congress