Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-10
LETTER FROM TAFT READ
Favoring Arbitration, He
Says Army Must Be Maintained.
BRYCE WRITES
Calls Attention to Friendship Felt
by the Late King Edward
for United States.


Arbitration and Peace Congress. which
began its first session here yesterday
Services were held at the grave of the
early apostle of peace.
The congress was called to order yes
terday in the hall of the house of repre-.
sentatives. Dean Henry Wade Rogers Of
Yale Law School presided, and addresses
were made by Mr.. Rogers and Benjamin
f. Trueblood of the American Peace So
ciety. The delegate body was large and
enthusiastic. Official recognition of the
importance of the gathering was giver
last night, when letters were read from
President Taft. Secretary of State Knox
Ambassador James Bryce, William Jen-
nings Bryan and Samuel Gompers of the
American Federation of Labor.
Several addresses were made on the
general topic of peace among the ma
lions and limitations of ornaments.
President Taft's Letter.
The letter from President Taft was as
follows:
The White House,
Washington, April 38, 1910.
My Dear Mr. Call: l have your letter
of April 30. and am glad to know that
congress is to hold an important meet
ing from May s to IL.
Il have on more than one occa sion eX-
pressed myself as being i'm favor of in
ternatfonal peace and In favor of arbi-
tratiOn to secure 1t, and I also dwelt
on the subject in my inaugural address.
That does not mean, however, that ] am
In favor of a country giving up that
which we now use for the purpose of Sc
curing peace. to wit, our army and our
navy. because 1 believe that the expense
OF armament Is working toward peace.
II earnestly hope that your meeting
will be productive of much good in the
promotion of permanent peace, and 1
wish you every success in your efforts
in this direction.
Sincerely yours.
civilian Fl. TAFT"
Mr.. Bryce in his letter said that while
the feeling in favor of peace and arbitra-
ton In past congresses had been most
encouraging, there were still disquieting
symptoms which could not be. ignored in
the maintaining of enormous naval and
military ornaments by nations who pro-
TESS desire for peace
Nations Are Suspicious.
Each nation declared that these arma-
ments were only for it's own protection,
intended, in fact, to secure peace, and
that ii had no aggressive designs against
others. Yet each nation, said Mr.. Bryce,
does not seem to credit the others with
the same pacific intentions it professed
for itself, and so an atmosphere Of gen.
eral suspicion reigned. Allegations Of in
tended attacks by some one nation upon
another, reckless and Improbable were
constantly scattered forth and received
an amount of credit surprising to those
who knew the real facts of the case. The
result was increased ornaments and a
IL I..A
warlike sentimant that seemed to exist in
the less educated and less thoughtful part
OF the population.
In note supplementary to his letter
and written following the announcement
Of the death of King Edward. Ambas-
sador Bryce wrote:
Dear Sir: The letter which l wrote to
you expressing my regret at being un-
able to attend the peace congress was
written nearly week ago, before
knew that the life of King Edward was
In danger. May 1 ask you to add to it
now the following words as postscript
9 Since the above letter was written
the lamented death of King Edward VII
has taken away from the sacred cause of
peace and good will among the nations
one OF those who was most earnest In
promoting it, and who had done most
for II. He was always warm and true
friend OF the United States, and rejoiced
i'm nothing more than in the growth of
cordial friendship between your coun-
try and his own. hoping and trusting
that like sentiments of friendship would
in time become general among the ma
tons Of the world.
England Is Grateful.
The countless expressions of sorrow
at his departure which have already
reached this embassy from all parts of
the United States show how cordially his
labors in the cause of peace have been
appreciated by your people, and such an
appreciation has gone to the heart Of the
English nation. who are grateful for
your sympathy.
Il am my dear sir,
Very faithfully yours
JAMES BRYCE"
The letter of Secretary of State Knox
said. in part:
II very much regret my inability to at
tend the meeting of the New England
Arbitration and Peace Congress hut T
that am in sympathy with the move
ment for the arbitration OF controversies
between nations as means of calming
irritation and Of preserving peace.
SHOULD a permanent tribunal of arbi-
tration be organized, and be permanently
in session at The Hague, thus avoiding
delays incident to the constitution of a
temporary tribunal for the trial of each
case as II dTISeS, d great step Will be
taken for the peaceable settlement Of in
ternational differences of q judicial ma
ture. The court should wait for the liti-
giants. not the litigant for the court
Bryan Favors Tribunal.
William Jennings Bryans letter ex-
pressed regret at being unable to attend.
In addition Mr.. Bryan said:
Il am In Shearty sympathy, however,
with the arbitration movement
Opinion of Samuel Gompers.
President Samuel Gompers in his letter
said, in part:
II want to express the Hope that the
growing intelligence of the combined
forces Of the workers of the great move
ment of the citizens generally will make
for the early realizing Of worldwide
peace.
Organized labor stands for peace in
dustrial as well as International, carping
critics to the contrary Notwithstanding
We want international peace. All man
kind yearns for 1t; humanity demands 1t.
Labor will strive to persuade the gov
ernments of the world to establish uni
realized and efforts prove futile 1t must
never be forgotten that In the last anal
ysis ~the masses Of the people Of every
country have II in their hands to exert
their own giant will and power against
international war and that II otherwise
thwarted they will not hesitate to ex-
ert it,
g.. spoke on 'Some Supposed Causes for
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