The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-01-01
Mr., WATTERS0h
WARMLY GREETED
MANY HEAR HIS DISCOURSE u,
FAVOR OF RATIFYIsG THE
=
PEACE TREATIES.
NOT NEW
EXTENDS BACK TO EuGHrEEyTH
~ CENTIRY-sINGAE- CITIZEN IN
NOW PROMOTING
..c4. 81
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Using to the fullest extent the re-
sources of q rich and picturesque
vocabulary, wide acquaintance with
men and measures. n broad knowl-
edge IT history ana cutture gr0w1uR
out OF extensive travel and observa-
ton. Colonel Henry Watterson, edi-
tor Of the Louisville Courier-Jour-
nal, in an address in the Jefferson
Hotel auditorium yesterday after
noon advocated the ratification By
the United States Senate of the pend
ing arbitration treaties between this
country. Great Britain and France
The address was one Of series
which Colonel Watterson has been
delivering in various parts of the
country at the behest of com
mittee. formed In New York but com
prising In its membership represen-
tatiye citizens OF all parts of the
country, and having as its object the
creation OF public sentiment cal
culated to influence the Senate to vote
for the treaties.
The main auditorium was f1led
practically to its capacity, and there
WIS hundred or moro people In the
balcony.
As the weather was decidedly un-
regarded as distinctly flatterins alike
to the speaker and to the men and
women composing IT.
And II was an audience which thor
oughly appreciated Colonel Waiter
son. From the moment that, straight
and erect, despite his years and
snowy locks, he walked down an aisle
Of the auditorium, until he concluded
his address. he was observed with
the most manifest interest by the
hundreds who sat before him, and
was applanded time and again with
a xest that bespoke profound admt-
ration and esteem.
- Reception Gut Short.
After the address a great many
people went forward and exchanged
greetings with him. though the social
attention of adnliring friends were
necessarily cnt short by the fact that
he had to leave shortly after his
lecture for his home In Louisville.
Mayor Richardson made the dis
tinguished editor welcome to the city,
and former Governor A. J. Monta-
que. who was greeted with applause.
introduced Mr.. Watterson. declaring
him to be tho most distinguished iiv-
ing editor I'VE often know news-
papers" he said. but It Is seldom
we know its editor.
Mr., Watterson snld IN part
EFT would seem that a measure OF
public benefit such as the Arbitration
Treaties negotiated by our govern
ment with the governments respec-
lively Of England and France would
cali for little urging upon intelligent
Americans. Equally in England ana
In France there IL no dissent what
ever But here. owing to the per-
versity of some and the Indifference.
or the ignorance of many, organixa-
ton is required. a campaign OF edu-
cation and an appeal to reason. /
which, except for the muniftcence-
the extravaxant munificence-~-of /
single citizen. would be wanting to
q popular confirmation nut In definite
ferms and voice OF the
truism that peace Is better than war.
.In this we have an example OF a |
very general human ahsenf-mfnded- |
ness with respect to things obvious |
We take them for granted and pass
them by. Trouble follows. and It 10
too late. The ounce OF prevention
which r. worth pound OF cure 10
rarely applied but for the most part
becomes the tardy and impo.ent eS-
preston OF the common failing.
.The disappearance Of the duello
and the code Of honor both In England
and the United States" said Colonel
Watterson. first led my mind to-
ward the inquiry whether. II indl-
vidual combat could thus be- elimi-
mated from among gentlemen. col
lective combat might not be eiimi-
mated from among nations.
Arbitration Not New Idea.
The Hague Peace Conference Of
1898 set the present ball In motion.
Since then we have had Pan-Ameri-
can Conference and Central Ameri-
can Conference In the interest OF
peace. But the idea that arbitration
il a modern Inventions theory and
arwexper4me.e--sse ortraafcsea by stx
cases rs far back az tho eighteenth
century. four hundred and seventy
ono In tho nineteenth. and already
one hundred and nifty since 1900.
THIS fault OF most OF these arrange
ments has lain chiefly in their incom-
pletsness. They have not gone far
enough. The virtue of the treaties
with England and France Is that they
embrace all that Ia essential to pro
mote peace and prevent war.
'Beho1d the havoc every day re-
ported from the arena OF strife In |
northern Africa. Suppose an erbi- |
tration treaty existed between Italy /
ana Turkey. as part Of general arbi- |
fr1ffpna system ensorceahae by other |
contracting parties, how long would |
these atrocities, with their wanton
waste OF blood and treasure. be al
lowed to 90 on? And why should
not the Porte and the Quirinal be
rescued from themselves and each be
forced to toe the lines Of justice and
reason. =-z5z=55i-5=5 z77-----l
..Ths motion that war makes for
manly development and il indisren-
sable 70 the viriltty az naiaens. Long i
haId Hoxannafone 'Tof the minds even
of the learned and rejecting. and II
still entertained by the unknowing and
the unthinking. Yet 1t il at variance
with all history. The ware Of Greece
and Rome depleted the manhood of
0reece and Rame. The wars OF Ma
poleon depleted the manhood OF
France Our own sectional war de-
pletad our manhood TO the degree OF
che subtraction from the common
store Of the million OF the slain en-
bracing the best we had.
A World Power.
blessed are the peacemakers for
they shalf DO called tho children OF
God As Americans we are proud to
be called world power. We are a
world power. All the world outside |
II not strong enough to come against
~ and. save AZ peAe@sssa eSurigts we