Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-06-24
Former President Taft Heads
Organization Created in indie
pendence Hall on Anniversary
of Bunker Hill Battle.
ORNAMENTS TO END WAR
Plan Provides for Concert of Ma.
lions Which Would Use Their
Combined Military and Eco
nomic Powers against Any
Member Undertaking War.

! Philadelphia, June l7.-Within historic
Independence hall to-day the anniver-
sary Of the battle of Bunker Hill, there
was formed an organization whose object
1t will be to promote the creation OF
League of nations with view to prevent
ing wars or at least, of lessening the pos
siblities Of them. The name adopted by
the organization was League to En-
force Peace. American Branch"
Former President Taft, who presided
over the conference for part Of the
time, was elected permanent president
and a long list of representative Amer
leans was named permanent vice-presi-
dents. 4 permanent executive committee
was selected with instructions to take
all measures necessary to promote the ob-
iects of the league
In moving the adoption of the report
of the committee on resolutions, which
embodied the objects of the league. Pro-
fessor Taft expressed the hope that out
Of this historic building may come mes
sage that shall again help the world"
NOT OF PURE PEACE" MEN.
The conference was not an assemblage
peace" men, but gathering of those
who for the most part believed in try
ing to hiring about peace even though
they had to use force to do it. There
was an animated discussion over the
adoption of the name and the only di-
visions that occurred on the several
fquestions that came before the conference
was on the changing of the title of the
a.. ALI a
report of the resolutions committee that
paragraph which bound members of the
league Of nations to use both their eco
nomic and military forces against any
one Of their number that goes to war
against another member before the ques-
tons at issue are submitted to the trib-
unals provided for by the league.
George W. Kirchwey, professor Of law.
Columbia University, suggested that the
name be changed to League to Estab-
fish and Maintain Peace" The proposed
elimination of the word force" found
supporters. but it was defeated after a
vigorous speech by \. Lawrence Lowell,
president of Harvard University and
chairman of the resolutions committee.
FIGHT WAR WITH WAR.
We are here to enforce peace, other
. wise we have no business here at all"
he exclaimed. When YOU fight forest
fire you fight it with back fire. We have
here means to discourage war and that
means is the threat to use force"
The text of the committees report is as
- follows:
"Throug hout five thousand years
of recorded history, peace, here
and there established, has been
kept and its area has been widen
cd in one way only Individuals
have combined their efforts to sup
press violence in the local COM
= munity. Communities have CO.
operated to maintain the authori-
tative State and to preserve peace
within its borders. States have
formed leagues or considerations
, or have otherwise co-operated to
, establish peace among themselves,
Always peace has been made and
- kept. when made and kept at all,
by the superior power OF superior
i numbers acting in unity for the
common good
Mindful of this teaching of eX-
: perience, we believe and solemnly
: urge that the time has come to de-
; wise and to create a working union
. of sovereign nations to establish
l. peace among themselves and to
guarantee it by all known and
: available sanctions at their COM
t mand. to the end that civilization
c may be conserved, and the progress
5 of mankind in comfort enlighten-
Y ment and happiness may continue.
n I'VE. therefore, believe il to be
t desirable for the United States to
a join a league of nations binding
e the signatories to tn, following.
:. "l-All justiciable questions
d arising between tho signatory
S powers, not settled by negotiation,
Il shall, subject to the limitations of
y treaties, be submitted to a judicial
g tribunal for hearing and judgment,
both upon the merits and upon any
e issue as to its Jurisdiction of the
r. question.
= "2-All other questions arising
l. between the signatories and not
settled by negotiations shall be
/ submitted to a council of concilia-
y ton for hearing. consideration and
= recommendation,
IL "3-The signatory powers shall
jointly use forthwith both their
" economic and military forces
Il against any one of their number
that goes to war or commits acts
= of hostility against another of the
: signatories before any question
e arising shall he submitted as pro-
vided in the foregoing.
: "4-Conferences between the
Is signatory powers shall be held
o from time to time to formulate and
l. codfy rules of international law.
H. which unless some signatory shall
o signify its dissent within stated
ie period shall thereafter govern in
l. the decisions of the judicial
tribunal mentioned in article one"
TOO MILITARISTIC."
L Chairman Lowell said that one of tn
al principal suggestions rejected by tn
e committee was that offered by Victor {
rs Berger. Wisconsin, aimed to prevent tn
sgnatory nations furnishing the bellig
II erent countries arms and ammunition,
IF Mr. Berger, who, with Mr., Kirchwes
he voted against the adoption of the report
Vpo. tor oad l,., tn