Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-12
STAND BY PRESIDENT.
IS ADVICE Of TAFT
In Address to Members of Union
League He Praises Work
of Wilson
GERMANY'S ACTS INHUMAN
Our Honor Is Safe With Him, -
Says Taft of Chief
Executive
GERMANY'S ACTS INHUMAN

Philadelphia, May 12.-Former
President Taft at the fiftieth anniver-
sary dinner of the Union League last
night. when he addressed 800 of Phil
adelphia's most representative citi-
zens, made the following statement
concerning the Lusitania affair and the
diplomatic crisis with Germany:
I'VE are at a critical stage in our
foreign relations, growing out of the
great European war. The belliger-
ents on both sides have announced
policies with respect to the principles
and rights of neutrals that are con-
trary to heretofore accepted principles
of international law.
Germany has not only announced,
but enforced, contrary to the laws of
war, policy in her naval warfare by
submarines and torpedoes, against the
| unarmed commercial ships of her en-
| emy that is inhumane, not only to the
defenseless subjects of her enemy, but
/ to the peaceful citizens of the United
! states travelling on board such ships,
and entitled to warning and rescue be-
fore such ships are sunk.
This naturally arouSes our deepest
! indignation. 1t was done in the face
of our protest, against the assertion of
any such declaration, and our declara-
ton that we would hold Germany to
the strictest accountability for the loss
of property or of lives.
Methods of Redress
Now, what has been done? Sincere
men, respondent to what they believe
their patriotic duty, demand extreme
measures as the only method of en-
forcing that accountability. Is war the
only method of making a nation ac-
countable? Let us look into our own
history. England connived at the fit
ting out of armed vessels to prey on
our commerce, to attack our navy and
to kill our sailors. We protested, and
what did we do then? We held her
ference. Was not our honor as much
preserved by this method as it would
have been had we declared war?
81 agree that the inhumanity of the
circumstances in the case now presses
us on, but in the heat of even just in
dignation. is this the best time to act,
when action involves such momentous
consequences and means untold loss of
life and treasure? There are things
worse than war, but delay due to
calm deliberation cannot change the
situation or minimize the effect of
what we finally conclude to do.
with the present condition of the
war in Europe, our action, if it is to
be extreme, will not lose efficiency
by giving time to the people, whose
war it will be, to know what they are
facing.
| u nueF our COnSIlluIlOn Lne HfeSl-
dent conducts our foreign affairs un-
til Congress finds ii necessary to de-
clare war. Upon him rests the acute
responsibility in such crisis. If he
were to yield to the cry of the extrem-
lists and summon Congress to take eX-
treme measures he would have great
| influence with Congress under such a
provocation. Indeed. the impulse to
such action has usually been stronger
with Congress than with the Execu-
! tive.
Consider the attitude of President
Mckinley in the Spanish war See
how he held back and how Congress
forced him on. Now, it may be that
a series of laws of inhumanity and vio-
latiCns of the laws of war, to our
national detriment, and against our
citizens, may force us on and lead our
people to believe that whatever the
cost no other course is open to us.
But we must bear in mind that If
we have a war it is the people, the
men and women, fathers and mothers,
| brothers and sisters, who must pay
with lives and money the cost of it.
and, therefore, they should not be
hurried into the needed sacrifices un-
til it is clear that they wish 1t and
know what they are doing when they
wish it.
Will Act as Brake
"For this reason every President
with a respect for his oath and the
rule of the people will, in moments of
popular excitement and just indigna-
ton pointing to war act as a brake;
will caution against haste; will hunt
for some escape from the horrors of
war consistent with dignity and
patriotism, knowing that If no other
Alternative exists Congress in it's consti-
tutional power. after time for delibera-
tion has disclosed the real popular
opinion, will act.
vive the passion of the first days of
public indignation and will not endure
the test of delay and deliberation by
all the people is not one that should
be Welded to.
| Look back at our history and ans
wer me. If the resistance of Presidents
to the demand of extremists for war
has not earned for them the gratitude
! of their country. Is 1t remembered
now to the discredit of Washington
| that he kept us out of war with Eng
land; or of Mckinley that he strug-
gled so hard, against just such war
| like expressions as we hear now, to
keep us out of the war with Spain.
Heavy Task For President
''The task of the President is a heavy
one. He is our President. He is act
ing for the whole country. He is anx-
ious to find a way out of the present
difficulty without war.
Before party. before ourselves. we
of this league are for our country.
That is what he is working for. Shall
we not stand by him in it?
HE will not surrender our coun-