Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-03-25
TAFT, IN NEW YORK ADDRESS,
HOWEVER, CALLS ARMY AND
NAVY NECESSARY.
MORE BATTLESHIPS ARE NEEDED
Believes Naval Force Should Be Doubled
by Time Panama Canal Is
Cor 2leted.
WANTS COURT OF ARBITRATION

NEW YORK, March 23.-The Presi-
dent Of the United States talked in
the cause Of world peace Tuesday night.
lie spoke at a banquet Of the Peace
and Arbitration league, given at the Ho-
lei Aston. which preceded a dinner in
honor of Herbert Parsons who recently
resigned as head Of the Republican coun-
~ committee.
International peace was the keynote Of
every address at the peace banquet, but
no speaker advocated the immediate dis
armament of nations. All agreed that
armies and nayies were necessary until
a more utOpian universe should have
come about. On this point President
TAFT said.
Because we are in favor Of univer-
sai peace, and in favor Of arbitration
IN order to secure it, we stand together
that we are not i'll favor Of any one
country giving up that which we now
use Tor tie purpose of securing peace
our armament. our army and our
navy
Tremendous applause greeted this dec
ErauoE, and the speaker continued:
Battleships Are Needed.
Il do not want 10 seem inconsistent in
speaking so emphaticalIy here i'll favor Of
peace by arbitration and in using every
effort that l can bring to bear on Con
gresS to have two more battleships built
this year | hopeful that we may
continue with that policy until the Fan
alua canal Is constructed 50 that then our
naval force shall be doubled by reason Of
the connection between the TWO coasts
and then we can stop and think whether
We wish to 90 further.
Perhaps by that time there shall be
adopted a means of reducing armament.
And when it comes | am sure we will
not be the power to interfere with that
general movement.
The expense of armament is working
toward peace. The expense of war,
am sorry to say, is having greater weight
- securing peace than the expense OF
lives. A nation does not lightly enter
upon war now, and for two reasons;
First, because the expense is 50 great
that it is likely to lead to bankruptcy
even if it wins; and second, that if il
does not win, the government, or dy-
nasty, or whatever it may be that is in
control of the government. is likely to &c
down under the humiliation of that de-
feat, at the hands of its own people
Those two things are working in a
healthful way toward peace.
For Court of Arbitration.
PERSONALLY | do not see any more
reason why matters Of national honor
should not be referred to n court of arbi-
tration any more than matters of prop
erty or matters of national proprietor
ship. | know that is going further than
most men are willing to go, but / do
not see why questions of honor may not
he submitted to Il tribunal supposed to
be composed of men of honor who under
stand questions of national honor, to
abide by their decision, as well as any
other question Of difference arising be
tween nations"
Leaving the question of peace the
President touched upon the violation OF
the rights of aliens in this country. rec
ommending investing the chief executive
and the federal courts with authority to
pass upon such violations committed il
the several states.