Evening star., 1909-05-21
MEETS HIS CABINET PLATFORM FOR PEACE
Mr. Tafts First Business on Resolutions Adopted by Lake
Returning From South. Mohonk Conference
ABANDONS HAMPTON TRIP |AMERICA ASKED TO LEAD
Wish City Urged Initiate Move for 1nterna
Without Taft tional Arbitration Treaty.
ELLIOTT JUDGE IN
United States Declared
ton to Propose Limitation
by Senator of Armed Forces.
Resolutions Adopted by Lake
MOh0nk Conference.
AMERICA ASKED TO LEAD
Urged to Initiate Move for Interna-
tional Arbitration Treaty.
TIME FOR ACTION HAS ARRIVED
United States Declared to Be in Posi-
tion to Propose the Limitation
of Armed Forces.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
Lake MOHONK, N. Y, May 21.-The
principal speakers at the Mohonk confer
ence this morning were President Judson
of the University of Chicago, President
Faunce OF Brown University, President
Brooks Of Baylor University and Presi-
dent Hobbs of Guilford College.
The Platform.
The platform follows:
1.-THE fifteenth annual Lake Mohonk con-
ference on international arbitration, meet
ing on the tenth anniversary Of the open
ing of the first Hague conference, re-
views with profound satisfaction the sig
nal advance Of the cause of international
justice during the decade, a progress un-
exampled In any previous period in his
tory. The memorable achievements of
this period are at once an inspiration
and an imperative call to renewed ef-
fort.
1--WE urge upon our government. which
has been SO conspicuously and so hon.
orably identified with the progressive pol
icies Of The Hague, prompt action toward
perfecting the important measures there
| inaugurated and the complete develop
ment of the system OF arbitration. We
especially urge its early initiative in the
establishment Of the International court
Of arbitral justice.
I'VE further urge the negotiation Of a
general treaty Of arbitration between all
nations, and look forward with increas-
ing hope to the day when treaties of
ence to The Hague Of all international
differences not settled by regular diplo-
matte negotiation.
1.-The clear logic of The Hague con-
ventions prescribe the limitation and
gradual reduction of the machinery of
war by the nations parties to those con-
ventions, corresponding to the develop
ment of the instrumentalities Of law and
justice for the settlement Of international
differences.
Satire Upon Civilization.
THE great ornaments of the nations.
whose intolerable burdens prompted the
call to the first Hague conference. have
during the decade increased SO porten-
tously as to have now become, as recently
declared by the British foreign secretary.
a satire upon civilization. They fill the
world with apprehension and alarm; they
create an atmosphere unfavorable to the
system of arbitration and their drain upon
the resources of the peoples has become
so exhaustfng as to menace all national
treasures and disastrously check the So
cial reforms and advances which the in
terests of humanity demand. 1t is the
opinion of this conference that the time
has arrived for carrying into effect the
strongly expressed desire of the two peace
conferences at The Hague that the gov
ernments examine the possibility of an
agreement as to the limitation of armed
forces by land and sea and of -ar bud
gets" and address themselves to the
serious study Of this pressing question
Accordingly we ask our government to
consider whether the peculiar position
which it occupies among the nations does
not afford it special opportunity to lead
the way toward making these weighty
declarations a basis of public and con-
certed action"