Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-12-18
MOT REACHED POINT
OF IMPOSSIBLE WAR
Chief Executive Says While Recent
Sensation Was Uncslled For, the
United States Should Proceed TO
Properly Fortify, and Recommends
Improvement in the Militia.
fRy Associated Press,

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Dec. t.
President Taft, addressing the clos
ing banquet tonight of the American
Society Tor Judicial Settlement of In
ternational Disputes. dsplored 1.-The So
called war scare which has furnished
pabulum Tor tho newspapers during
the last few days He declared that
there Is not the slightest reason fer
such 4 sensation, because we are at
peace with all the nations of the
world and quite likely TO remain so.
He said his purpose in outlining
the preparedness Of the United States
for war "at a peace meeting" was 70
show by contrast the great worthineas
OF the movement Tor permanent
court of arbitral justice and uniyer-
sal peace.
The president summa rized the con-
dition of the national defenses and
urged that policy OF wise military
preparation" be pursued.
Urges Retention of Army.
He urged the retention of the
present regular army. the improve
ment of the national militia, the pas
sage OF the pending volunteer bill to
go INTO operation should war be de-
clared, and the passage Of a law now
before congress providing for force
OF addiI ional officers who would be
liable in times of peace to render eff
cient service in drilling the militia OF
the states" and finally the accumuia-
ton OF guns and ammunition" to
equip and arm the force We could COL
lect under our colors in an emer-
gency."
War Not impossible.
Declaring that the country has not
reached a point where war Is i'm
possible, he cited the Panama canal
question He said.
Take thus the question OF the
Panama canal. We have a property
which, when completed, would be
worth 100000 900. at least it will
cost us that II has been built not
alone TO further the cause of the
worlds commerce. but also to bring
our Eastern and Western seaboaTds
closer together and TO secure us the
military benefit enabling our naval
feet to pass quickly from one ocean
to the other. Now the works of the
canal are of such a character that a
war vessel might easily put the canal
out Of commission.
Have Right to F6rtify.
We are authorized to police the
canal and protect IL and We have the
treaty right to erect Notifications
there. Fortihcations are the best and
most secure method OF protecting that
canal against the attack o. some IT.
responsible nation or armed force.
1T is said that We could neutralize
the canal and. by inducing all nations
to agree not to attack the canal, Sc
cure its immunity from injury. But
the trouble is that the nations are
quite as likely as men to violate their
obligations under great stress like
that of war"
The president asserted, however.
that the best method Of ultimately
securing disarmament among nations
was the establishment of an interna-
tionsl court and the development Of
q code Of international equity.
Conference Closes.
The conference closed tonight with
banquet addressed by President
TAT; and a number OF other distin-
guished speakers.
Gen. Stewari l. Woodruff. United
States ambs ssador to Spain, was the
POSTMASTER
Besides speech By President
Taft. others were made by the
French ambassador. Joseph Cbnate.
Major Gen. Frederick u. Grant Rich
ard Rsr;holdi. Martin ". Littieton.
Thomas Nielsen Page and Bourke
Cochran. The banquet concluded a
three DAYS program OF speeches prin-
cinally on the question Of the estab-
iishment 81 a permanen; court Of ar
bitrsl justice
The general trend Of the discussion
was toward he abolition Of var. an
ideal for which Andrew Carnegie has
just debated sii.5o0.o00 10 help
realize
ofhcers Elected.
Just before the closing session ad-
iour1ed az noon today. President
Taft was reelected honorary prcst
den; and John Hayes Hammond was
elected president: Covcrnorfiect
simon r. Baldwin. of Connecticut.
yice-prcsident: Theodore Mart. Of RAJ
timure. secretary. J. g. Schmidlsch.
Cincfnnan. treasurer
The executive committee. X p.
Mcfarland. Of Washington. and W.
W willoughby. Of Bal'imore. James