The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-16
ANNUAL MEETING
At LAKE MOHONk
Conference Convencs for Dis
cussion OF Peace Tor
FAITH IN FUTURE SUCCESS
Nicholas Murray Butler Makes
Yelled Reference to
Roosevelt.
FAITH IN FUTURE SUCCESS

Lake Mohonk. y. y. May i5.-The
eighteenth annual meeting of the Lake
Mohonk Conference OH international
Arbitration opened here to-day with a
record attendance. Greeting the dele
gates as mis- personal guests. Albert X
Smiley. founder and most OF the con
ference. delivered the opening address.
In which he reviewed the past years
events pertaining 10 treaties. H. said
in part.
The one event that stands out In
the public mind IS the action OF tho
Senate on the arbitration treaties with
Great Britain and France. To be sure
she treaties were ratified. and. as raft
fled. are perhaps slight advance over
existing treaties, but most OF Us had
hoped the provision In ohe treaties as
negotiated which. Irrespective of pub
Tie emotion. would guarantee the ar
oitration OF every question susceptible
o: that means OF settlement. would be
retained.
That clause. tina last OF article g.
was lost AZ TO 40. very close vote
!ocal influence entered into the re-
suit is a matter OF conjecture.
Inference Based on Vote.
we may. however. infer that IL the
Senate reflected public opinion, about
half the people Of the United States
are not yet ready 10 make arbitration
treaties of so wide q scope
AN important boundary arbitration
between the United states and Mexico
the Chamizal case-was tried last
summer but the award was not who'll
~ acceptable to either party and the
case may be rcopened. This illustrates
the need for an international court of
such character that the fteat majority
of differences Will naturally flow to it
instead of to special tribunals where
the element of compromise is always
liable to creep in. We should work
steadily for such court"
The address of President Nicholas
Murray Butler. of Columbia University.
before the conference contained a
strong defense of the provisions in tho
proposed arbitration treaties with Eng
land and France. lately turned down
by the United States Senate, and was
rcplete with yelled sarcasm anent tho
activities of certain politicians in de-
feating the measures.
Cites Mnny illustrations.
President Butler decried the many
illustrations in American public life
OF the unhappy effects of carrying OH
political discussion. both on the plat
form and in the press, in the language
of iunatic asylum and with the man
ners of the prize ring He stated
that the political braggart at home
is the political bully abroad" and
gave 1t as his opinion that there are
those high in public life who appeared
to adhere to the precepts OF Artemus
Ward. when he said:
II have no principles: l am in the
show business"
Though President Butter retrained
from mentioning names. his illusions
were taken to refer to the activities
or an eX-President of the United States
In attacking the proposed arbitration
treaties. They elected much laughter
and q storm of applause.
Americans Rcnl Offenders.
President Butler affirmed that the
American people were the real Offend
ers in large number of the recent in
stances of International complications,
and said that until the people of this
country, as we'll as those of the other
civilized countries of the world had ac-
Quired what he termed the interna-
tlonal mind" efforts TO secure univer-
sal peace through arbitration must
fail"
In conclusion he said:
AT the moment we are being ruled
and represented by the noisy and we'll
organized majorities OF minorities.
teal dignity and political wisdom every
grasp this fact. as they surely will,
uncertain voice, and our nation will
progress. The moment that saber rea--
son resumes its rule our cause will be
secure"