New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-05
Declares He Would Be Ashamed
To Be Unwilling to Sub
NIT Dispute to The
Hague.
ADDRESSES PEACE FORUM
President Says Defeat of
Treaties Was a Body Blow"
but He Still Cherishes the
Ideal-Henry Clews
Has Pension Plan.

President Taft, in a speech before
the international Peace Forum. in the
waldorf-Astoria, yesterday afternoon.
came out frankly in favor of submit
ting the Panama Canal dispute be-
tween Great Britain and the United
states to The Hague tribunal for ar
bitration. 1t was the Presidents first
formal declaration on the question
since Great Britain filed her protest
with the State Department.
Henry Clews. the banker. was the
first speaker. AS a business man, he
said, he felt that under the treaty with
Great Britain the United States was
in the wrong, and would most likely
be defeated if the dispute went to The
Hague, although he figured 1t that our
coastwise shipping would be reim-
bursed for the loss of tolls by the mail
subsidy" that would be given involv-
Ing the amount in dispute.
Mr.. Clews had a suggestion to make
regarding the pensioning of ex-Presi-
dents. which he submitted to public
spirited men" to consider Mr.. Clews
thought a fund could be subscribed,
the interest on. which would be suffl-
cient TO insure an income of at least
$4,000 year for each of the eX-Presi-
dents for life. He suggested that the
trustees of the fund have the power
10 endow chairs of honor in our leading
universities exclusively for our ex-
Presidents, they being required to give
periodical lectures to the student
bodies
Mr.. Clews said that President Taft.
in the simplicity Of his life while in
the White House. had outdone even
Thomas Jefferson in democracy and
kind attention to the plain people. Mr..
Clews said he thought the plain people
ought fully 10 appreciate the fact.
Would Arbitrate with England.
MY friend Mr.. Clews differs with me
and with the administration in the
construction Of that treaty" the Presi-
dent began. THAT is all right. suppose
questions before have arisen as to our
construction of contracts in which hon
est people have been on both sides
Now that presents to me a very sig
ni6cant and useful example with re-
spect TO arbitration. good many
people are saving, Don't arbitrate, be-
cause you are going TO lose. rms is
our canal. and while England is maxi
ing a point of il. England would not
fight about IL, and therefore why give
up when you are not likely TO get an
arbitration that will be satisfactory to
YOU and your view of the constructions
Now, that is just the time when | am
in favor of arbitration. / am willing,
and. indeed, j would be ashamed not
10 be willing, to arbitrate any question
with Great Britain in the construction
of a treaty when we reach the exact
issue which there is between the two
nations. There need not be any public
doubt on that subject so far as this
administration is concerned.
II am hopeful" the President con-
tinued, that we may get it either 10
settlement or to submission before the
administration in which / have the
honor 10 be a dissolving view shall
cease. but ii may not be, because these
International negotiations move slowly.
But 7 am glad to take this opportu-
nifty TO say that If the time does come
there will be no doubt about what
will do in respect 10 the submission Of
the question as far as my power goes
10 an impartial tribunal for its settle
ment"
The atmosphere supplied by the
Peace Forum seemed to have sad
dened President Taft. He said II
brought back to him the defeat OF the
international peace treaties He con-
tinued:
This meeting brings back 20 me the
earnest. triumphant feeling that had
I'm my soul after | had visited almost
eyery state in the Union, and urged the
confirmation Of those treaties which we
had made with England and France, and
then lived TO see them defeated In the
highest legislative body in the world. as
some of the members of that body are in
the n0Dll Oh II. DNN - '~'''-~
FOR the gentlemen who have exalted the
Senate above everything 10 find In the
Constitution something that prevents
them from doing what must be done IL
the cause is TO prosper. But they say:
Some questions arise after you have
made the contract. coming within the de-
scribed class TO which you do not want
TO submit, some question in which you
are likely to be beaten, in which you are
likely 10 suffer a great national loss
Defeat Of Treaties a Blow.
Well. you cannot make omelets without
eggs You cannot always have Jug
handled arrangement In International
agreements You must expect sometimes
to be beaten sure thing among gentle
men who bet even is not regarded as the
most honorable standard for making bets.
and certainly one who would refuse to
abide by the judgment of court unless