The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-23
TAFT WOULD AVOID
INTERVENTION
EXPLAINS THAT HE BELIEVES IN
TAKING PRECAUTIONS AND
THAT'S ALL.

New York, Feb. 22.-Presidcnt Taft.
guest of honor at a peace dinner to-
night, spoke frankly of conditions in
Mexico as he viewed them and de-
clared for the exercise of every pos
sible effort in avoidance of interven-
ton.
Mexico for two years. said Mr.
Taft, "has presented a very sad pic
ture to every lover of his kind, TO
every supporter of popular govern
ment, to every man hopeful of estab-
fishing peace under a stable govern
ment. But we must not despair, we
must not, in a case like Mexico, or IN
the Central American republic, take
such action as shall give them cause to
believe that we are moved by selflsh
urposes or arouse them to opposition
to us.
we must avoid in every way what
is called Intervention and use all the
patience possible, with the prayers that
some power may arise there to prlhs
about peace throughout that great
We have to take precatl-
tons. and those have been taken.
But | nave no Sympathy-none at
all-and the charge of coWardice does
not brighten me-With that which
prompts us for purposes of eXploita-
ton and gain to invade another coun-
try. and involve ourselves in a war,
the extent of which we could not
realize, and the sacrifice of thousands
of Jfrns anI millions Dt treasure ana
then when we had succeeded-What?
No. we must exercise patience in a
concrete case like this"
Discussing the pending peace treaties
with Great Britain and France, the
president said he was deeply disap-
pointed that they have not been con-
firlned by the senate. But ! bow to
it's Judgment he said, hoping that the
time was not far distant when pos
sible change in the membership and
the providential selection of its per-
sonnet would be followed by ratifica-
ton of the treaties,
Monroe Doctrine.
Referring to the Monroe doctrine,
he declared the United States ought
to seek to prevent instability of all
governments on the American hem'-
sphere, by attempting, in a peaceful
way, to establish a right to offer medi-
alton to prevent ''murderous war
fare
In this effort. he said, the South
American governments now estab-
lished on a sound and firm basis will
help US to aid Central American and
West Indian governments"
Turning to the Panama canal, Presi-
dent Taft defended his policy of arbi-
tration of the toll question.
The idea of our getting into a fight
with England and not submitting to an
international tribunal of arbitration,
is SO absurd" he said, that not even
the statement Of a reverend and senior
senator can make me understand it
other than jocosely.'
He said in conclusion:
Ladies and gentlemen. goodnight. I
am going back to Washington to lay
down such power as | LAY had, a
wv which | have been glad to eX-
e~rcise, whenever | could, in the cause
of peace, And | leave you with the
most cordial expression for your APP
probation of what | have done and in
taking the will for the deed"
The president spoke at a dinner of
the American Peace and Arbitration
league. Joseph H. Choate presented
Mr.. Taft with a medal for services in
the cause of universal peace. 1t was
given by the National Institute of So
cial Sciences.