The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-02-24
MUST STAND BY
THE PRESIDENT
Says EXPIRES. Taftin Wash
ington Day Address
FACE TO FACE
WITH A CRISIS
No lingo Spirit Must he Allowed to
Prevail, Said Judge TAFT; Neither
Pride nor MOmentary Passion should
influence Judgment in the Crisis.

.
influence Judgment in the Crisis.
Morristown, \. j., Feb. 22.--The
United States is threatened with a Sc
rlous invasion Of its rights as a neu-
trai by the warning nations Of Europe
and in preserving it's commerce with
those nations is face to face with a
crisis, in the opinion OF former Presi-
dent VIM. II. Taft. In the solution Of
that crisis should it arise, no lingo
spirit must be allowed to prevail, Mr..
Taft advised; neither pride nor mom-
cntary passion should influence judg-
ment
When the President Shall act"
Mr.. Taft declared, I'VE must stand by
him to the end. In this determination
We may be sure that all will join, no
matter what their previous views, no
matter what their European origin.
All will forget their differences in
self sacrificing loyalty to our COM
mon flag and our common country"
Mr.. Taft's reference to the situa-
ton confronting the United States
was made at the conclusion Of an ad-
dress today before the Washington
Association of New Jersey. Quoting
a reservation in the treaty of Alge-
ciras, proclaimed in 1907, and en-
tered into by the United States and
II European nations including most
of those now at war MIR. Taft said:
Our interest in the present war,
under the conditions that exist should
be limited as set forth in their reser-
vaticn, to wit:
To preserving and increasing the
commerce OF the United States with
the belligerents; to the protection as
to life, liberty and prosperity Of our
citizens residing or travelling in their
countries, and to the aiding by our
friendly offices and efforts in bring
ing those countries to peace
Our efforts for peace" he con-
tinucd have Eccn made as complete
as possible, for the president has
already rendered his good Offices by
way Of mediation between the DOW
ers, and they have not been accepted.
I'm preserving the commerce Of
the United States with the bclliger-
cnts, however We arc face to face
with crisis. The planting Of mines
in the open sea and the use OF sub
marines TO send neutral vessels to
the bottom without inquiry as 10
their neutrality when found in a So
W -, ,Nr ID,
all OF them variation from the rules
OF international law, governing the
action OF bclligcrcnts towards neutral
trade.
When their violation results in
the destruction OF the lives OF Amcri-
can citizens or of American property,
grave issue will arise as to what
the duty of this government is. Tho
responsibility Of the President and
congress in meeting the critical issue
thus presented in maintaining our
national honor on the one hand, with
due regard to the awful consequences
to our 90,000,000 Of people Of cngag-.
ing in this horrible world war, on the
otneT, VIII De very great. 1T involves
on their part judgment so momen-
tous in its consequences that we
should earnestly pray that tho neccs-
sity for it may be avertcd.
"If, however, the occasion arises,
We can be confident that those in au-
thority will be actuatcd by tho high
est patriotic motives and by the deep.
est concern for our national welfare.
We must not allow our pride or
momcntary passion to influence our
Judgment. We must exercise the de-
liberation that the FatGful coMscGncn-
ccS in the loss OF our best blood and
enormous waste Of treasure would
necessarily impose upon us. We must
allow no lingo spirit to prevail. We
must abide the judgment Of those in
whom we have entrusted the authori-
ty and when the President shall act,
We must stand by him to the end.
"This 1S3rd anniversary OF Wash.
ington's birth, should bring to our
minds the third great achievement or
his presidential term, the mainten-
Continued on Page Four)