Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-01-28
FOR PEACE
And YET
FOR FORTS
Carnegie Approves Plan to
Defend the Canal.
Believes Executive Plans Broad Ar.
bitFatiOn Treaty With Great Brit
ian. Urges Peace Advocates to
Support Mr.. Taft in His Progress.

New York, January 27-Andrew
Carnegie, who sat near President
Taft at the Pennsylvania Society din
ner on Saturday night, when the latter
urged the fortifcation of the Panama
Canal, has since given this statement
to the New York correspondent of the
Central News, of London:
This question of the fortifcation of
the Panama Canal is greatly exercis-
ing the advocates of international
peace, but it is not an international
question.
''No nation disputes our right to for
tify; our right is as clear as our right
to fortify New York or New Orleans.
But it is not a warlike project, being
purely defensive These ports, If built,
will never fire a shot unless the canal
is in danger from an enemy-an enemy
which would be the enemy of other
nations as well as ours, because injury
to the canal would mean serious inter-
ference with the worlds commerce.
Presidents Reasons SOussd.
MANY friends of peace are urging
that nonfortifcation would be a great
message of peace to the whole world, a
splendid proof that the world is really
advancing toward the abolition Of war,
and proof that the United States can
trust other nations to respect neutral
ity. l have no doubt this would have
been the case, and that the effect Of
nonfortifcation would have been pro-
found; but since it is otherwise decid
ed, for reasons satisfactory to our
President, who is foremost in the great
peace movement now upon us, we must
realize that sound reasons exist for
his decision
The President gave evidence Of his
peace-loving tendency at the Pennsyl-
vania Society dinner on Saturday night
when he said that if he had his way,
and was able to secure the consent Of
other powers, he would submit to the
Senate arbitration treaties broader n
their terms than any now existing be-
tween nations.
DO you think the President had any
specific treaty in his mind? ?' was asked.
Yes, one of these treaties he hopes %
make, and which ] firmly believe he
will succeed in making, is one which
will embrace the whole English-speak-
ing race, namely, treaty between
Great Britain and this republic The
race which has abolished private war
within its wide boundaries is obviously
the race to lead the way in the abolish
ment of the savage custom of man
killing
DO you think other nations would
follow suit?'
Il am as certain of that as that l am
alive. They would follow rapidly, and
our race would thus add another
wreath-the grandest of ALTO It's
IaureIs. 1t belongs to the English
speaking race to perform this supreme
service to mankind
Urges support of President.
q wish to urge to all lovers Of peace.
in our country to support the President
in his holy work, to trust him, and to
stand prepared to urge our senator's to
pass the great treaty which he is now
engaged in negotiating. and compared
with which the purely national ques-
tion as to whether we shall erect forte
at both ends Of the Panama Canal.
really sinks into insignificance. Those
forts will probably never fire hostile
shot, and just as We proceed making
such treaties as the President viii
have or none, the need for such de-
tense will diminish until in due time
we shall need neither weapons of Of
fense nor even of defense, because all.
rations will have placed themselves
under the reign Of law. Depend upon
it, that after the President gets the i'm
pCrtant treaty he is now engaged upon,
he will soon take up the question of the
continual building Of dreadnoughts, al.
though that is a question which Will
settle itself if the chief ma
tons agree to settle all disputes byI
AS president Of the peace society, n
speak to my colleagues in deep earn
estness when say let us support and
trust the President He knows what he