Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-10-18
Presidents Appeal to Women.

| Presidents Appeal to Women.
"The voice of the women Of Ameri-
ca should speak for peace. says Pres
ident Taft, in remarkable article in
this months Womans Home Com
| panion-remarkable. because the man
highest in authority in the greatest re-
public, the man of greatest influence in
all America man who commands the
admiration and respect of the
world, man whose policy Of world
peace is pereolating through hitherto
imperYious armor of old world diplo
macy turns to the intelligence and
character of the womanhood Of his
people to INFLUENCE the United
States Senate to RATIFY his arbitra-
ton treaties.
The greatest man in America today
publicly bows to the MIGHTY MORAL
INFLUENCE of woman, where man
is blocking the wheels of progress.
In President Taft.s article he shows
how and where he disagrees with the
United States Senate and he points
out the rights and duties of the Chief
Executive.
1t is Well for all promoters of right
and progress TO turn to woman. When
President Taft and the women of Ann
erica have convinced the United States
Senate that il must enter into the
spirit of negotiating world peace, then
we would respectfully request the Pres
ident and the women of America to
INFLUENCE the national Congress TO
DISSOLVE THE PARTNERSHIP be-
tween Uncle Sam and the Rum Trust.
The Presidents article includes COM
ment of great public interest. IN one
place he says:
The principle and scope of interna-
tional arbitration, as exemplifed in
the treaties recently negotiated by the
United States with Great Britain and
France. should commend itself To the
American people. These treaties go a
| step beyond any similar instruments
which have received the sanction Of
the United States. or the two foreign
powers specified. They enlarge the
field OF arbitrable subjects embraced
in the treaties ratified by the three
governments in 1908. They lift into the
realm of discussion and hearing, be-
fore some kind of a tribunal, many of
the causes of war which have made
history such a sickening chronicle of
ravage and cruelty, bloodshed and
desolation.
These treaties have not vet been ap-
proved by the United States Senate,
which, under the Constitution. is part
of the treaty-making power of our
government, A majority OF the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations OF that
distinguished BODY, whose function ii
is to report. with or without favorable
recommendation, upon all subjects af-
fecting our dealings with other ma
| tions. have concluded that the treaties
as presented to the Senate for ratifi-
cation infringe in one respect upon its
constitutional prerogatfves. In my
judgment this is an erroneous view.
Instead of such invasion, the treaties
really recognize in the Senate larger
power of treaty-making than the ma
tJVillN VI TIT toitiilittltt RotiNtbtt nc
treaties substract nothing from the
Senate's traditional and valid powers.
An able minority of the Committee on
Foreign Relations have clearly !elucida-
ted this point, and deliberate reflection
by senators who are neutral. or at the
moment even hostile to these facts,
Twill, / hope. convince the majority of
their error.
| P1If NHhila ba &c
lmittee remain 10 be persuaded. the is
sue should be thoroughly understood
by the American people to whom botl
branches of the Federal Government
are accountable, and whose Judgment
in some effective and unequivoeal way
viii record itself. / am far from de
string a contest with the Senate.
am one Of those who appreciate mos
highly the plan of government devise,
by our forefathers in the Constitution
think that one of the most admirabl
features of that framework is the Sen
ate, with it's various functions. and
should be the last to seek to depriv
it of any of them.
The Executive has powers in respec
to treaties equal at least to those o
the Senate, and If these treaties de
lprive the Senate Of any power it cal
not delegate, they deprive the EXecu
tive of the same power. 1t is my dut,
to be as careful not to give up an
power entrusted to me by the Consti
tuition, and not to yield to any en-
eroachment upon it, as the Senat
ought to be in respect of its constitu
itional faculties. Charged as | al
with this duty of guarding exeeutiv
power, | cannot, for the life of me. Sc
Iany improper parting with any powe
in the making of these treaties. The
bind me quite as much as the Senate
but / fear nothing of evil from thei
operation
With the ratification of the treate
with Great Britain and France, w
lmay hope that treaties with other NJ
tions will follow. After a time if on
treaties stand the test of experience
land prove useful, it is probable tina
lall the greatest powers on earth viii
leone under obligation to arbitrat.
their differences with other nations