The Yale expositor., 1910-02-25
ASKS
WORLDS PEACE
~
Congress Is Asked to Give an OBJ
ject Lesson to All Other
Nations.
BUREAU OF MINES ENDORSED
Passage Of Bill at Present Session Is
Practically Assured - President
Taft's Fondness for Travel
Will Be Gratified.


Washington.-ln the house commit
tee on foreign affairs there is repos-
ing a huge petition signed by hundreds
of Americans known to fame, and by
thousands of other fellow Americans
whose fame never has been trumpet
ed. The petition asks that the United
States shall declare itself through
congress that it wishes to give the
world assurance it will never again
conquer and hold by force Of arms
any more territory. The petition also
asks that the national lawmakers shall
declare the intention of this country to
stop its rapid increase in armament.
Side by side in congress with this
petition is bill to increase the fight
ing efficiency of the navy by the addi-
ton of two great Dreadnaughts to the
ocean-going war feet. There are men,
bers OF the house and senate who are
in very truth apostles OF peace, but
their number is small when compared
to the number of senators and repre-
sentatives who believe that It Is neces-
sary to maintain the navy and army
at fighting strength, and to do moth
ing which might give another coun-
try an opportunity readily to over
come us in case of a declaration Of
war.
The attempt of the peace promoters
to secure from the United States a
first pledge to the end of friendly re-
lations with the rest Of the world is
explained ty the friends of the reso-
luton which congress has been asked
to pass, as being simply one step fur
Their on the road toward the goal Of
the political organization Of the world
on peace basis.
seek to End Warfare.
The resolutions which are now be-
fore congress have for their imme-
date object the stopping of the growth
of navies and armies. When the first
Hague peace conference was held its
principal object was to see if some
means could not be taken to induce
the nations of the world TO stop in
creasing the enlisted strength of their
armies and to stop adding battleships
to their navies. The attempt at The
Hague failed because ii was perfectly
apparent that each nation could not
be brought to believe that some other
nation would not violate the compact,
and by increasing it's war strength put
the safety OF the other nations who
kept the peace faith. in jeopardy.
President Taft and Secretary Knox
have just irdorsed plan for the es-
adjustment OF a judicial courl to which
all the nations of the earth may have re-
course in certain matters. The friends
of the peace movement see in this an
added victory. They say that this
country lc in position at the present
moment to take an advanced peace
stand because no other nation on
earth can dispute its claim to soy.
ereignty where its flag floats" In
other words, because none of the ter.
ritorial holdings Of this country is in
dispute there is no necessity for us
to go to war to save our belongings
Thus established on firm foundation
at the present moment, II is the argu
ment of the advocates of concord that
the United States is we'll placed tc
urge that no more territory be seized
by any country and that all shall work
together to the end that countries
now free may continue free, and that
peace may be lasting.
1t is sale by the peace advocates
that the establishment of the Uni
versal Postal union and of the Interna
tional Agricultural institute at Rome
and of the International Bureau OF
Weights and Measures, is a sign that
the world is moving forward toward
a unity OF purpose in legislation. and
that one day there may be such 9
thorough understanding and such 8
close bond of union that war will soor
be thing of the past.
Bureau of Mines Favored.
From indications 1t is practically as
sured that before the present session
ends President Taft will sign q bill
the effect of which will be to estab
lish bureau of mines in the interior
department. The duty of the bureau
of mines simply will be to make thor
ough Investigations into the cause o.
mining disasters and to recommend
preventive measures.
The bill. IT is said, will not inter
fere with the rights of the states II
any way, the hope being that tn,
states will adopt legislation in accord
ance with the suggestion of the fed
eral government, legislation which will
prevent such terrible disasters as tina
of the Cherry mine in Illinois and o
the recent mine accidents in Colorado
Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
In the geological survey there Il
what is known as a technology,
branch" II is the duty of the officials
of this branch of the survey to max,
inquiries into mine troubles and Il
make suggestions for relief The force
is very small and the belief of mos
members of congress is that its worl
should be enlarged and should be pu
under the control of the secretary o
1