Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-16
CHURCH BIG FACTOR
IN PEACE WORK, SAYS
TAFT AT SWARTHMORE
Former President Appeals
for Promotion Of Unity
Among Denominations in
Address to Members of
Graduating Glass.

FORMER President william IT. Taft ad-
dressed the graduating class at the COM
mencement Of sWerthmore College to-
day. He emphasized the Importance OF
tho influence OF the church 1pou gov
eminent and concluded with an eloquent
appeal for efforts to make war in the
futurs impossible.
In this respect Mr.. Taft gave great
praise to the work Of John ~ Mott IN
organizing Young Mems Christian As
soclations throughous the world and In
the work Of healing the wounds that the
nations have inflicted upon each other
these associations, IN coniunction with
the churches Of the various countries,
viii play a prominent part. he declared.
In restoring tho fraternal spirit to the
world.
ADVOCATES PEACE TREATIES.
Can we abolish war; he asked. NO.
not while the frailties and passions of
human nature are reflected In the con- |
duct Of nations. Can we make II less !
probable7 Yes. We can do II by inter- |
national arrangements. We can do Il by /
invoking the Joint aid OF many nations |
70 stay the sangunary hands of one or
two about TO appeal to the god OF wars.
Men say treaties are nothing but
scraps Of paper when the war passion is
on. Il depends upon the moral and physl-
cal force that is 70 constitute the sane
tion OF those treaties. Sometimes they |
Will be broken. More often they will be |
kept. Because treaties have been broken
fs no reason why we should not make
them again, with the hope that they will
be observed.
The evident trend OF international pub-
lie opinion will be toward league of ma
lions whose interest in the maintenance
OF world peace. and whose direct injury
from allowing war between nations to
come on. though they may not them
selves be engaged, VIII make them recog- !
nize the advantage Of a union against !
war, OF the assertion of the right of
part OF the world to take steps to prevent I
the rest Of the world from involving all
the world In the penalties and horrors
Of such destruction OF life and such
human suffering we witness today
Tomorrow we meet in Independence
Hall to consider n plan and to perfect its
general structure, with the hope that
when peace comes we may offer IL to our
Jwn Government and those representing
Iur Government in any conference of the
iations as the basis for an international
inion against war"
The subject OF Mr.. Tafts address was
The Church, Civilization and the State"
He had chosen this subject. he said. with
view TO emphasizing the Importance OF
he church from the standpoint of sue
essful secular government, OF the sprsad
4 civilization. OF the restraint upon In
ure wars and OF the promotion OF a
eturn OF fraternal feeling among ma
Ions when this awful sacrifice Of life
nd treasure that we are now Witness
1g shall have ceased"
he prefaced his address with a review
the growth OF religious liberty and
oierance, in the promotion of which tho
riends' almost alone among the schisma
cs, were consistent, Their principle OF
dependence In religious thought was
dopted by the nation. Consequently
lere ls no established church in America,
Ut turists and lawmakers had recogntzsG
gain and again that this was a Chris
ON country, and the cause Of true re-
gion had gained through these liberal
stitutions. - b.
the longer my experience with Rov-
nment' the more deeply impressed have -