Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-07-15
ADDRESSED {. {.
President Taft Discussed
Arbitration Treaty.
MARIN DEBATE IN CONVENTION
Citizenship Day" Discussion Threat
ened to End in Serious Split in
Big Convention in Allan
tic City.

Atlantic City, July SIN a speech to
the International Christian Endeavor
convention here President Taft de.
clared that the negotiations for the
arbitration treaty between Great Bri.
tain and the United States have reach.
ed such stage that there Is no doubt
As to the signing of the pact
II am glad TO say" said the presi-
dent that today we have reached
snch point in the negotiations for a
treaty Of universal arbitrations with
one of the great European powers
that we can confidently predict the
signing of a satisfactory treaty.
THE arbitration treaty heretofore
with Great Britain and other coun-
tries has excepted from the causes
which may be arbitrated those which
involved the vital interests Of either
party or its honor.
The treaty which we are now clos
ing with Great Britain eliminates
these exceptions and provides that all
questions of international concern of
n justifable character shall be sub
mitted to the arbitration of an impair
tial tribunal"
The president expressed the hope
that eventually half dozen European
countries may make similar treaties.
Such action, he said, would not abol-
ish war, but would furnish a forcible
instrument in preventing it.
Rev. Thomas Evans, of Nebraska,
precipitated a warm discussion in the
convention over naming the proposed
league to advocate good citizenship,
DR.. Evans, who spoke in favor OF
the use of the word good" rather
than the use of the word Christian"
declared that he wanted every inhab-
liant of the United States, be he or
she Hebrew, Christian or Mohamme-
dan, Mormon or Buddhist, to join in
the effort to raise the standard of citi-
zenship of the country.
Other speakers opposed this all en-
far as to say that he did not want He
brews in the movement at all and that
he thought the work could be done
very well without them.
ut has been said" declared this
speaker, that Hebrews object to the
word Christian being used to desig-
nate these leagues. If Hebrews can't
come in under the heading Christian
they need not come in at all. for my
part don't want them"
This last statement was too much
Tor DR.. Evans, who holly replied:
Or. Evans Defends Hebrews.
Good citizenship is better than bad
citizenship and the Hebrews are good
citizens. for my part want all sects
and denominations to join in this
movement. The trouble with us church
members nowadays is that we are get
ting to be pharisees Of the worst kind.
We put up bars that Christ Knocked
down when he was on earth and then
labor TO defend our actions, wasting
time and energy that had better be ap-
piled to helping the world get better.
Even those who are not Christians
will be the better for Joining in this
good citizenship movement"
DIR. Evans is the founder of the
Good Citizeiship Day" idea, which is
for all TO observe the Sunday before
the Fourth of July as Good Citizen
ship Day" when they will seriously
think over their duties toward the
state, and whether or not they are
conducting their lives solely for their
own advancement or for the best in
terests of the nation as a whole.
The meeting was held In St. James
Methodist Episcopal church to discuss
this movement and to devise ways of
forwarding the idea. II was after DR..
Evans had INTRODUCED a resolution
which he wished the meeting to en-
dorse, in which he used the words
good citizenship" instead of Chris
tian citizenship" that the argument
started. Rather than disrupt the con-
ference, Or, Evans withdrew his mo-
ton, leaving the individual churches
to work out the idea in their own way,
for there was not a shadow of opposi-
ton toward endorsing the idea as a
whole.