The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-08
PRIZE ORA TITO N
DISAPPOINTING
Roosevelt Has Advanced No New
Ideas Toward World
Peace.
is NOT UP WITH TAFT
William T. Stead Dissects Ad-
dress Delivered Before Nobel
Prize Committee.
is NOT up WITH TAFT
DY WILLIAM II. STEAD.


London, May 7.-Theodore Roose
velt's Nobel prize grafton is somewhat
disappointing What there is in Il
that is true is not new; what there l:
new is not exactly in accordance will
the facts.
Current report says that Mr.. Roose-
welt finished the romance lecture
which he is about to oliver at oxford
before he quilted the White House. Ii
would almost seem as II his Nobel
prize essay had been composed at the
same time. 1t affords no evidence OF
any effort to master the later stages
of the evolution Of the world.
In a word, it Is somewhat common.
place. 1t can hardly be regarded as
a serious contribution to the solution
OF the problem with which 1t deals
What he says about arbitration and
treaties shows that Roosevelt is not
abreast OF Mr.. Taft The President In
his memorable speech in New York de-
clared emphatically in favor of elimi-
mating the nischievous clause which
declares that questions of national
honor are excluded from arbitration.
Mr. Taft thinks the questions of ma
tional honor ought to go to arbitra-
ton.
Mr.. Roosevelt insists that safe
guards must be taken against referring
such questions to arbitration.
Taft has gone forward, Roosevelt
| has stood STILL
His recommendations to the nations
| OF Asia, Europe and America for an
| international court OF arbitration and
/ justice upon the lines of the supreme
Court of the United States were an
echo OF the speeches of the American
delegates at The Hague. but as far
> as I can perceive from the Geographic
reports Mr.. Roosevelt expressed no
| opinion upon Secretary Knox's sug-
} gestion that the international prize
court should be used as a general court
OF arbitration. Neither does he say
anything upon the recent discussion to
II found one for exclusively American
. disputes
:, A Suggestion of Little Hope.
} 1t is not until we come to the third
suggestion that we find any departure
! from the constitutional and traditiona
line Of American policy Something
! should be done he tells US. as soon as
possible to check the growths of arma-
ments, especially naval ornaments, by
International agreements. but wheI,
| the American delegates, headed hS
! Choate, carried out Roosevelts instruc-
| tions at the last Hague conference
they not merely did nothing to bring
about this object, but they took an
active though unpublic part in pre-
venting any real discussion of the
question
1t is understood that Roosevelt then
despaired of bringing about any in
ternational understanding on arma-
mentz His own idea was to lay down
maximum of size for individual bat
tleships. beyond which no power
should be allowed to go. No other
powers would agree to this, and II
was not put forward for discussion,
England alone of the great powers
tried in feeble fashion to bring about
an arrest of the growth of armament
Roosevelt did nothing to stiffen this
resolution. Perhaps Roosevelt has re-
pointed; if So we will wait for more
practical proof of penitence than the
expression of a pious hope that the
powers as soon as possible may dc
something which. when he was in
power they did not try to do.
Mr.. Roosevelts fourth suggestion is
distinctly of the big stick order. He
would regard it as a master stroke
IL the great powers. honestly bent on
peace. would form a League Of Peace
/ to prevent by force any breach OF
peace. A master stroke indeed
Every great power believes 1t IL
have stopped the Russo-Turkish War
but II they had tried to stop the Span
sh-American War by force what
would have been the result?
!! The Joint guarantee OF peace fade:
+, into thin air whenever one guar.
anteer makes war.
A Great Opportunity Wasted.
No doubt the great powers can anc
| do exercise certain influence oyc,
the smaller states. The United States
has repeatedly interviewed with success
in the auarrels of Central America, bu,
would the big stick of Uncls San
be strong enough to compel Brazil and
| Argentina to refrain from war? All
| this talk about the dogs OF peace IL
compel the nations to abstain from
| fighting Is sheer waste OF time. /,
diVerts attention from the only true
| road TO, peace. to promote international
good understanding, to develop Intcr-
national arbitration, to establish a
permanent international coart OF ar.
bitral Justice. and then induce as
many powers as possible to bind them
Selves to boycott any ono OF their
number who drcw sword without hav.
ing first submitted tho justice o,
their quarrel TO some impartia,
judicial tribunal.
That is the only road by which the
nations VIII reach tho goal OF uni,
Versal peace. The Big stick methos
would speedily lead to universal war
hence there is a feeling among tn
friends OF peace In tho Old World thu
Roosevelt has missed or even misuse,
splendid opportunity.
AFTER
TOWER OF LONDo,