Evening star., 1911-05-30
TAFT'S PEACE PLEA
Urges Avoidance of War in Ad-
dress at Arlington.
GIVEN OVATION BY CROWD
Points to Changed Views Regarding
Fighting Of Duels.
SHOULD APPLY TO NATIONS
Horrors Of Bloody Strife Far Out
weigh Benefits Derived From
Military Discipline.
GIVEN OVATION BY CROWD
SHOULD APPLY TO NATIONS

President Taft arrived at Arlington a
few minutes after 1 o'clock, in his auto
mobile. accompanied by Maj. Archibald
Butt and Commander Leigh Palmer. The
presidential party was accorded an ova-
tion by the big crowd that extended in
every direction about the spacious grounds,
the veterans barring their heads as a
mark Of respect to the commander-in-
chief of the army.
The President addressed the multitude
soon after his arrival He said:
LAS we gather in this assembly with all
the thoughts that it's surroundings sug-
gest, the question presents itself, What
Is the purpose of these commemorative
services? 1t Is said that we are here
to pay tribute to our patriotic dead, to
those who yielded up their lives that our
country might be saved. But does our
coming here and do our ceremonies and
hymns and eloquent tributes make the
dead happier? If from somewhere their
souls contemplate this scene, are they
gratified merely because we praise them?
Is 1t not rather that they can see that
the influence of their deeds lives after
them in the uplifting and revitalizing of
the highest ideals of the living? These
ceremonies are not for the benefit of the
dead.
They are to keep green the memory Of
their deeds and thereby stir in the liv-
ing members of society. in the citizens
of today, the spirit of high appreciation
and enthusiastic emulation of the su-
preme sacrifices for their fellow-country-
men that the sight of these graves Of the
dead makes alive to u.s.
Love of country, love of family, love
of God. 1t is difficult to classify these af-
fections OF the human heart and soul. for
they so melt into each other that the one
who has most Of one has most of all.
Lose Sight Of Cruelty.
"As we stand, however, in the presence
Of the dead on this beautiful May MORN
ing and seek to realize and enjoy the
essence Of patriotism which, like incense,
steals into the atmosphere of this sacred
spot. we find ourselves slipping into a
conception of war as necessary to human
development. the making Of human char
acter and the exhibition Of the highest
human ideal.
I'VE lose sight Of the cruelty. the car
mage. the arousing of the most brutal
man suffering. the meanest human ambi-
tiOns, the ghoulish corruption and all
the other wickedness that follows in the
trail OF war, and we think only Of the
enncbled the brave soldier who lost his
life in the shock Of battle and who rests
peacefully with his comrades in these
beautiful shades.
.s VI SOOI SCs IL 10 necessary Iu6I we
should have sin and temptation If we
would have exhibitions Of virtue which
resist them. but is that a reason for
favoring either temptation or sin? OF
existence and power Of the highest traits
OF the human soul we must have human
tragedies, but certainly no one would
promote a tragedy for the purpose Of
furnishing to the world proof of the
Strive as We may to prevent or de-
stroy them, we shall have sin and wick
edness and temptation and tragedy
enough. as school Of experience, de-
velopment and demonstration OF human
character. The same answer must be
made to those who permit themselves
to advocate war as a necessary experi-.
ence in the development Of man.
Refers to Code Of Honor.
There was a time when an insult by
one man to another in the same social
class could only be wiped out by the
blood OF the other in a mortal duel, and
in those days 1t took more moral cour-
age to avoid duel than to fight one.
We have made great progress. almost
within our own memory, in such ideals
If that be true now, why may it not
be true in the near future Of nations?
Why will it not show more patriotism
and more love OF country to refuse to
go to war for an insult and to submit
1t to the arbitrament OF a peaceful tri-
bunal than to subject whole people
to the misery and cruelty and suffer-
ing and burden Of heavy cost Of a ma
tional war. however CLOSED over by the
excitement and ambitions and the glory
Of a successful conquest?
THE lesson in national restraint, the
looking at things as they are, the re-
jecting of the dictates Of false pride
and the following Of the teachings OF
the Master Of men are not at all in
consistent with and do not detract
from the continuance OF the highest
law OF country and Of ones country
men.
Debt Not Minimized.
Far be It from me to minimize in any
way by these suggestions the debt we
owe to the men buried here. who carried
on the successful struggle that resulted
In the abolition Of the cancer Of slavery,
and which seemed 1neradicable save by
such an awful slaughter Of the brightest
and bravest and best OF the nations
youth and manhood.