Evening star., 1914-08-09
GREAT PEACE PLEA,
TAFT TSAYS0F WAR
In the End European Struggle
May Be Worth Its Cost,
He Declares.
FORESEES U. S. INFLUENCE
WHEN EXHAUSTION COMES
America Can Then Aid in Bringing
About Minimum Armaments,
Ex-President Believes.

| Declaring the European war a cata-
clysm and retrograde step in Christian
civilization. former President William H.
Taft. who is spending the summer at
Murray Bay. Canada. has written for
the Independent, which will appear next
Monday. an interesting article, in which
the conflict, with its probable effect upon
the world. IS discussed.
Mr.. Taft says it is hard to prophesy the
scope of war. because history offers no
precedent. The United States began war
with Spain to free Cuba, he says. but at
its close I'VE found ourselves 10000 miles
away with the Philippines on our hands. =
That there will be an immense waste of
life and treasure Mr.. Taft is certain. but
ii the war should be the last, he adds
the end may be worth what it costs hu-
manty. The article in full follows:
las 1 write Germany is reported to
have declared war against Russia and
France and the participation Of Eng
land on the one side and of Italy on the
other seems imminent. Nothing like 1t
wars. and with modern ornaments and
larger populations nothing has occurred
like it since the world began.
1T is a cataclysm. 1t Is a retrograde
step in Christian civilization. 1t will be
difficult to keep the various countries Of
the Balkans out of the war, and Greece
and Turkey may take part In 1t. All
Europe is to be a battle-ground 1t is
reported that the neutrality of Holland
has already been ignored and Belgium Of
fers such opportunities in the campaigns
certain to follow that her territory, too.
will be the scene Of struggle.
Worlds Commerce Suspended.
Private property and commercial ship
ping under an enemy's flag are subject to
rinfi1 I,ryv t1a
ceedings. and with the formidable navies
of England. France, Germany. Russia and
Italy active, the great carrying trade of
the world will be in large part suspended
or destroyed or will be burdened with
such heavy insurance as greatly to cur
tail 1t.
"The commerce of the world makes much
for the prosperity of the countries with
which it is conducted, and Its INTERRUPT
ton means great inconvenience and eco
nonic suffering among all people wnetner
at peace or war. The capital which the
European people have invested by the
ullnons in the United States, Canada,
Australia South Africa and in the orient
war chests Of the nations engaged In a
death grapple, and the enterprises which
that capital made possible are likely to be
greatly crippled. while the hope of any
further expansion must be definitely given
up.
a feverish activity in number OF
branches of our industry, but on the
whole we shall suffer with the rest of the
world. except that we shall not be de-
stroying or blowing up our existing
wealth or sacrificing the lives of our best
young men and youth.
TT is hard to prophesy the scope OF
war like this because history offers no
precedent 1t is impossible to foresee
the limits Of war Of any proportions
when confined only to two countries. In
our own small Spanish war we began 1t
found ourselves 10000 miles away with
the Philippines on our hands.
Immense Waste Of Life.
THE immense waste Of life and treas
ure in a modern war makes the loss to
the conaueror only less, if indeed it be
less than the loss to the conquered.
with a high patriotic spirit people
enter upon war with confidence and with
the thought of martial glory and success.
The sacrifices they have to make. the
suffering they have to undergo are gen
orally such that II victory does not rest
upon their banners they seek scape-
goat for that which they themselves
have brought on in the head Of the state
and the king or emperor who begins a
war or allows one to begin puts at stake
not only the prestige of his nation. but
also the stability and integrity Of his
dynasty.
I'm such war as this. therefore. with
the universal tendency to popular con-
troll in every country, the strain and
defeat in war may lead to state Of po-
litical fiux in those countries which shall
suffer defeat with all the attendant diff
culties and disorder that change of
government involves.
while we can be sure that such al
war ay this taking IL by and large will