The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-23
PRESIDENT TALKS
FOR WORLD PEACE
Taft Delivers Address at Ban
quet in New York
WAR COST TOO GREAT
ward Peace, Says Mr.. Taft, and
Then Says He Wants More
Big BattIeshlps.

New York, March 1.-The President OF
the United States spoke in the cause OF
world peace tonight before such a bril-
liant assemblage at the Hotel Aston
that he declared 1t was 'superlatiye.
The President was an honor guest with
the Peace and Arbitration league festivi-
ties
All agreed that armies and navies were
necessary until the utopia of peace came
about On this point President Taft said:
Because we are in favor of universal
peace and in favor of arbitration in order
to secure 1t we stand together that we
are not in favor of one country giving
Up that which we now use for the purpose
of securing peace, to-wit, our armament
our army, and our navy
Tremendous applause greeted his dec
larations and continuing ne said:
II do not want to seem Inconsistent in
speaking so emphatically here in favor
of peace by arbitration and in using every
effort that I can bring to bear on Con-
gress to have two more battleships TINS
year.
IL am hopeful that we may continue
with that policy until the Panama canal
is constructed so that then our naval
force nhall be doubled by reason of the
connection between the two coasts and
then we can stop and think whether we
will wish TO go further. Perhaps by that
time there shall be a means adopted OF
reducing armament and when 1t comes |
am sure it will not be the power to in
terfere with that general movement.
1.-The expense of armament is working
toward peace. The expense of war, | am
sorry to state is having greater weight
In securing peace than the expense OF
lives lost. nation does not lightly
enter upon war now, and for two other
reasons. first, because the expense is
so great that 1t is likely to lead her to
bankruptcy even If she win; and second
that If she does not win the govern
ment is likely to go down under the M
initiation of that defeat at the hands OF
her own people. Those two things are
working in healthful way toward peace.
Personally don't see any more rea'
son why matters OF national honor should
rot he referred to a court of arbitration
of national proprietorshlp
II know that is going further than
most men are willing to go but l do
not see why questions of honor may
not be submitted to a tribunal sup
posed to be composed of men or honor
who understand questions of national
honor To abide by their decision as we'll
Of ariS-
ing between nations"
Leaving the question of peace, the
President touched upon the violation
of the rights of aliens in this coun-
try, recommending as he did in his IN
ausuration address, investing the chief
executive and the federal courts with
auth GRITTY to pass upon such violations
committed in the several states. He
did not refer to the Japanese or any
inadeauacy of having treaty violations
passed by the governors or local dis
trict attorneys. and continuing said
$50 | thought in view of the fact
that as we are all agreed for peace
and the adjustment of war, II we can
bring it about 1 would suggest one
practical means by which you can
olothe your executive with In avoid
Ing difficulties with foreign countries
your executive and yourselves in q
humiliating position with reference to
your pledged promise"
Two ambassadors, Count Won Berns-
torY of Germany and Signor De La
Barra of Mexico, were among the
speakers of the evening. as were
Charles w. Fairbanks, former vice
president of the United States; James
McCreary, former United States senator
from Kentucky and president OF the
league; William Gaynor. mayor of
Greater New York, and Henry Clews,
New York banker.
Count Won Bernstorff, like President
Taft. did not look with favor upon
disarmament and although indorsing
tho general idea of arbitration he could
not agree with Mr.. Taft on the ques-
ton of submitting matters of national
honor to such a tribunal. He said in
part:
Men who like myself have the duty
to protect and advance the interests of
their own country to perform are not
able to join in dreaming the dream Of
universal peace; they would soon
awake to the stern reality of the fierce
struggle for existence that, according
to the law of nature, results in the
survival of the fittest. This league is,
however, not striving for the impos-
sible.
''The chief object Is to create a pub
II, sentiment for organization of inter-
national Justice by further development
of the principle of arbitration.
1.-THE German government and people
heartily sympathize with the idea of sub