Morris tribune., 1914-08-14
Ex-PREsIDENT TAFT ON ThE WAR

against Russia ana FRANCE ana the
land the side and of Italy the other i'm
minent Nothing like it has occurred since the great
Napoeonic and with modern ornaments and larger
populations nothing occurred like it since the world
began.
1t is catacysm. 1t is retrograde step in Chris
tian civilization 1t will be difficult keep the various
countries of the Balkans out of the war; and
Turkey may take part in it. All Europe is to be battle
ground 1t reported that the neutrality of Holland has
already been ignored and Belgium offers such opportuni
ties campaigns certain to follow that her territory
too, will be the of struggle.
Private pOrperty and commercial shipping under an
enemys flag subject to capture and appropriation by
prize proceedings and with the formidable navies of England
France. Germany Russia and Italy active, the great
carrying trade of world will be in large suspended
or destroyed or will budened with such heavy insurance
greatly to curtail it.
The commerce of the world makes much for the pros
pery of the countries with whom is conducted and it's
interruption great inconvenience and economic su
ering among all people whether at peace The
capital which the European people have invested by the
billions in the United States. Canada. Australia, South
Africa and the Orient perforce be withrawn to
fill the war chests of the nations engaged death Crap
pe 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
This general European will give feversh
activity number of branches of industry, but
the whole we shall suffer with the of the world
cept that we shall be destroying blowing
listing wealth or sacrificing the lives of best young
and youth.
1t is hard to prophesy the of like this,
because history offers no precedent It is impossible
foresee the limits of Of any proportions when
fined only to two countries In small Spanish
war we began it free Cuba and when the closed
we found ourselves 10 600 miles away with the Phillip
pines on hands,
The immense waste of life and treasure in modern
war makes the loss to the only less, if in
deed it be less than the loss to the conquered.
With 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 undergo generally such that if victory
does not rest upon their banners they seek
for that which they themselves have brought in the
head of the state and the king emperor who begins
war or allows one begin puts at stake not only the
stge of his nation the stability and integrity of
his dynasty.
In such war as this, therefore. with the universal
tendency to popular control every country the strain
and defeat in may lead to state of political ux in
those countries which shall suffer defeat with all the at
tendant difficulties and disorder that change OF govern.
nent involves
While we be that such war as this, taking
# by and large will be burden upon the United States
and great misfortune looked at solely from the stand
point of the United States have every be
happy that we able to preserve srct neutrality in
respect to it, Within hospitable boundaries have
living prosperous and contended emigrants in large
bers from all the countries who to take part in the
war, and the sympathies of these people will. of
course be with their respective native lands. Were
there no other reason this circumstance would keep
us free from any ENHANCEMENT.
We may sincerely hope that Japan will not be in
voyed She will be unless the is carried to
the far Orient to India China Germany has but
sma settlement in the Orient while France and Russia
and England would be allies this and it would
quite unlikely that there would arise any obligation under
the alliance for Japan to assist England
Of the great powers Of the world therefore, the only
ones left out are likely be the United States and Japan
and perhaps only the United States by of the al
lance between Japan and England Japan. if she keeps
of the war; will occupy the advantageous posi-
tion which will be ours complete neutrality, of an
actually judicial attitude and therefore, of having
opportunity at some time. may hope. to mediate
the powers help mitigate this disaster
mankind.