Evening star., 1911-08-08
TAFT'S PEACE PLEA
Asks Churches to Support
Treaties of Arbitration.
TRIP TO MOUNTAIN LAKE
Travels 400 Miles to Address Metho-
dist Chautauqua.
URGES ACTION BY SENATE
Delays in Ratification or Prolonged
Discussion Would Retard Move :
ment, President Says.

ment, President Says.
MOUNTAIN LAKE PARK, Md, august
IS.-President Taft travelled 400 miles
through Maryland and West Virginia yes
terday by special train to appeal to the
people of the United States to use their
moral influence to have the Senate ratify
the British and French arbitration treaties
and the treaties with Nicaragua and Hon
duras. His appeal was made direct to the
Mountain Lake Park ChautauQua of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, but in il
the President included the rest of the
nation as WELL
II observe said the President that
there is some suggestion that by ratify-
ing this treaty, the Senate may in some
way abdicate its function of treaty-mak-
ing. l confess myself unable to perceive
the substance in such a point.
ITO have these treaties not ratified by
the Senate of the United States or -
have any hesitation and discussion of a
serious character in respect to them
would halt the movement toward gen.
eral peace which has made substantial
advance In the last ten years.
!, Appeals to Nations Morals.
ITO secure the ratification of the
treaties, therefore, appeal must be made
to the moral sense of the nation, and
while that is not entirely in the keeping
of the churches. certainly they may ex-
ert powerful influence in the promo
ton Of any effective instrumentality to
secure permanent peace
Leaving the arbitration treaties behind
the President asked for the same sort
of popular support of the treaties with
Honduras and Nicaragua
There is no issue before the Senate
SO acute in respect to the cause of peace
as the confirmation of these Central
American treaties, said the President.
while / admit the greater Importance Of
the universal treaties of arbitration. in
the long run and as affecting the world
at large, yet in respect of American inter-
ests, in respect of peace in this hemi-
sphere, they are not equal in Importance
to the confirmation Of these Central
American treaties"
Taft Praises Roosevelt.
In making his plea for the Central
American conventions the President high
ly praised former President Roosevelt
He spoke OF the tendency OF the United
States to extend the helping hand to
less powerful people and instanced Mr.
Roosevelts Intervention in Cuba That
tendency was evidenced also, he said,
by the wonderfully successful inter-
vention by Theodore Roosevelt as Presi-
dent Of the United States, in securing
peace between Russia and Japan
The President left Washington at s
o'clock with a car load of Baltimore and
Ohio railroad officials along to help run
the special. He spent just an hour in
Mountain Lake Park, leaving for Wash
ington at o'clock. His address was
made to several thousand people. The
President said. in part:
Il have been surprised to note with
what fervor the plain people of every
nation welcome the proposal Of universal
arbitration. not because their real in
terest In the practical adoption of the
plan is not greater than all other classes
in the community, but because it is a
somewhat abStruse cause, In the success
of which they might not be expected to
take an immediate interest. OF course,
in a war 1t is the common people that
have to bear most of the suffering. They
to do most Of the fighting. and they Sc
cure the least benefit and the least
glory
Definition of Justiciab1e.
The treaties the President proceeded to
say provided that every question of
justiciabIe nature should be submitted
to a tribunal Of arbitration, and that they
defined what justiciable means.
1T is any issue between the nations
that can be properly settled upon the
principles of law and equity, as those
are understood In law and in interna-
tional law he said. There are. of
course, questions Of policy with respect
to which each nation must exercise its
own discretion, and in doing SO is en-
tirely within its legal and equitable
ri0 nd tS action affect
the other nation. it is not the proper
subject Of controversy. The machinery
provided will practically dispose of every
question SO far as 1t is war-inducing
issue.
"The treaty may be called almost a
treaty not only to avoid war, but even
to avoid arbitration. for 1T Is only in
the last instance. after the commission
suggest a satisfactory solution, that
even arbitration is to be resorted to.
by this treaty. if 1t is ratified, the
executive and the Senate, representing
their differences. as described In the
treaty, by arbitration or through COM
mission
Should the treaty be ratified. the Sen
in honor bound by it's obligations in
good faith to perform the Offices which
the main treaty provides shall be per-
formed on the side of the United States,
ana tnen 10 dOlQC tH0 IeSulI, anu u
acouiesce, or, in so far as may be. per-
form and execute the judgment of the
tribunal.
No Abdication by Senate.
IT observe that there is some sugges-
tion that by ratifying this treaty the
Senate may in some way abdicate its
functions of treaty-making confess
myself unable to perceive the substance
in such a point. The fact that the Sem
ate has the power to make a treaty
necessarily involves it's power to bind
itself as part Of the government to the
obligations of the treaty That is In
herent in the treaty-making power.
From time immemoraI governments
have bound themselves to abide the
Judgment of third parties In contro-
versies between them
I'm what respect does the Senate
treaty making power differ from that Of
the executive. or of any government In
all times past. that 1t may not agree
on behalf of the nation. to abide the
Judgment Of an impartial tribunal. or by
treaty to establish a tribunal to con-
slider a certain class Of caSeS and de-