New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-23
De CONSTANT WINS DINERS.
Adverse War Views of Maxim
Get Only Courteous Applause.
ECONOMIC CLUB THE HOST
Secretary Meyer Asks Support
of Project to Abolish Need
less Navy Yards.


six hundred members and guests OF the
Economic Club showed their approval OF
International arbitration al the dinner OF
the club in the Hotel Aston last night by
enthusiastically appaudins the remarks Of
Baron 'Estourneles de Constant. who
Pleaded that the United States should sup
port President Taft in his aims toward in
ternational peace. At the same time the
diners gave TO Hudson Maxim. who ratified
the shields OF war and declared information
al peace dream. the damnation of a faint
and merely courteous applause.
Baron de Constant who is president OF
the Association for International Concilia-
ton. besides being a member OF the French
Senate. has Just finished a tour of the
United States. and he declared It as his be-
lief that the people Of this country had adj
vanced 10 the stage where they did not
look upon war as a necessary evil.
When he arrived in this country. the
baron said. he was informed by some that
war with Mexico was Inevitable" II that
was so. he said a that time. he would see
FOR the first time in history an inevitable"
war. Most wars. he thought. could have
been avoided. and the talk Of an "inevi-
tsble' war OF the future between Japan
and the United states. he had discovered.
was entirely unfounded.
The baron spoke in the highest terms Of
the personal and national wisdom" Of
President Taft. who he said. had averted
any danger that there might have been in
the Mexican situation. and he added that
from his investigations during his tour Of
tho country he believed that the Presi-
dents wisdom in that matter and in the
recently announced arbitration treaties
was appreciated by all the thoughtful
people OF the country.
You cannot support Tat II you believe
in war he warned his auditors. You
have 10 believe in peace-the spirit Of peace
for progress and for your future"
Speaks OF Aviation Accident
Baron dc Constant touched feelinely upon
Sundays catastrophe in France He said
that the Minister OF War had been one Of
his closest friends. and added:
IT was sacrifice 10 progress" he said
but even now We are flying. and we will
90 on fving II Is one OF the means 20
prevent war. as well as being a duty and
a Joy. We are willing to give life for prog
ress-for aviati)n-for anything which &
good. but no. for war
Hudson Maxim. pho preceded the baron
on the rostrurn. ridiculed the practicability
OF an international peace court and de-
clared that the graft" which he said
perrieated city state and national politics
would soon stretch out its hand 10 such
an international body and destroy its use
~ of
a japanese war and added 10 that a
picture OF an invading host from China.
amounted myriads needing but a leader 10
hurl themselves upon Western civilization -
Disarmament Is A beautiful dream. but
impol,ic and impracticable. he concluded,
and was saluted with a faint ripple Of APP
plause.
Secretary Meyer described the scientific
nagement' principle IN It's application 10
the United states navy. and declaie Cd that
Il had raised the efficiency Of the navy
from 3i5 per cent % hits IN zoos 20 20 l-3
per cent to-day. As a measure OF econ
omv he advocated lesseninz the number Of
navy Yards and asked his hearers 10 aid
him in this project upon which Congress
thus far has failed 10 smile. The Secretary
told % trip OF careful inspection. which
resulted in hts recommendation that the
navy yards al New orleans. Pensacola.
Por, Royal. New London. Sackett's Harbor.
san Juan. Culebra ana Cavite be abolished.
and though IL had been demonstrated that
every one Of these yards was a needless
drain upon the governments financial re-
sources not a single one was abolished BY
Congress
He had been criticised by Southern mem
bers Of Congress. said Secretary Meyer.
because he did not recommend the abolition
OF any OF the larger Eastern navy yards.
but even these. he said. would be more
than would be needed after the opening Of
the Parama Canal. Until then. he thought.
Dispensing with those mentioned In his
recommendation would constitute a good
Arst step in naval economy
Fisheries Counsel Speaks.
Samuel ]. Elder. the senior counsel in the
fisheries arbitration with Great Britain
last summer. gave a history Of the settle
msnt OF that question as an object lesson
in the practicability OF international arbi-
tration.
IT has been called peace conference.
said Mr. Elder, but IL was not that. II
was the trial OF 4 lawsuit. Divested OF all
It's glamour and secrecy. II was simply a
trial OF an international lawsuit"
he explained that the greatest difficulty
IN the path OF such ARBITRATION In the past
had been the selection OF the court, but In
this case. he said. that did not prove mat
ter OF delay or question.
Sir Charles Fitzpatrick. the representa-
tive Of Grea: Britain, az we'll as our own
Of Del
with them to that court" said Mr. Elder
"a disposition TO treat the questions as mat
ters OF law. One Of the difficulties OF the
past has been that there has been dispo-
sition 10 treat them as matters Of d.
plomacy"
Hamilton Holt advocated the broadening
OF the scope OF the Hague Court into
United Nations. which should be modelled
along the lines OF the United States. Let
each nation. said Mr.. Holt, give up it's sove-
reign rights. exactly as each state in our
union gave up its sovereign rights 10 the
general government.
The proposed arbitration treaties ad-
vsnced by President Taft he said. consti-
tuted a hrst step in that direction. and ne
declared that in thus giving the world an
object lesson Of the possibilities Of arbitra-
ton President Taft had accomplished the
greatest deed tending toward world peace
that history records.
In the absence OF John G. Milburn. the
president OF the Economic Club. James
Speyer first vice president. acted as toast
master and introduced the speakers. After
the dinner. and before the speeches. the
club held its annual election. All the off,
GERS were reelected. and Otto NJ Eidlitz.
Samuel McCune Lindsay. Victor Morawetz
George W. Perkins and Frank Trumbull