Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-17
SOUNDS KEYNOTE
OF PEACE LEAGUE
Taft Outlines Plan Which May
Enable Nations to Avoid
War in Future.
FORCE NOT ELIMINATED
National Leaders Will Meet To-
Day in independence Hall
for Organization.

PHILADELPHIA. June l6-Former
President Taft, in an address here to-
night. outlined the plan for practical
proposed league of peace. which will
be discussed in independence Hall to-
morrow. Mr.. Taft was firmly of the
opinion that league Of peace could be
formed which would enable nations to
avoid war by furnishing a means OF
settling International quarrels or "sus-
pending them until the binding heat
of passion has cooled"
At to-morrow's conference proposals
will be considered for league of
peace. and steps will be taken toward
obtaining the support of public opinion
and governments. The national pro-
visional committee, which called the
conference. includes well-known pub
ltcists educators. peace advocates
editors and economists.
The committee gave dinner to-
night, at which Mr.. Taft was assigned
the part OF delivering the keynote
speech. Others who spoke were Presi-
dent Lowell. of Harvard: Oscar Straus.
Hamilton Holt and former Judge
George Gray. Of Delaware.
DELEGATES REPRESENT
NOBODY hut THEMSELVES
"In calling this meeting" Mr.. TAFT
said, my associates and I have been
aware that we might be likened to the
tailors of Tooley Street, who mistook
themselves for the people of England:
We wish first to say that we do not
represent anybody but ourselves.
We are not here to suggest n means
Of bringing this war 10 an end: much
as that is 10 be desired. and much as
we would he willing to do to secure
peace. that is not within the project Of
the present meeting.
In no war has the direct interest
that ncutrals have in preventing a war
between neighbors been so clearly
made known. This interest Of neutrals
has been so forced upon them that it
would require only slight Develop
ment and growth into a right to be
consulted before war among neigh
bors can be begun. This step we hope
to have taken by the formation OF n
peace league of the great powers
whose fundamental principle shall be
that no war can take place between
any two members Of the league until
they have resorted to the machinery
that the league proposes to furnish to
settle the controversy likely to lead
to war.
III any member refuses to use this
machinery. all members of the league
agree to defend the member attacked
by force.
I'VE do not think the ultimate resort
to force can be safely omitted from
an effective league OF peace. We are
not peace -at-any- price men. because we
do not think we have reached the time
when plan based on the obliteration
of war is practicable.
MACHINERY TO CONSIST
OF TWO TRIBUNALS
Now what is the machinery, n resort
to which we wish to force an intend
ing belligerent of the league? 1t con-
sists of two tribunals, to one of which
every issue must be submitted. Issues
between nations are Of two classes:
First. issues that can be decided on
principles OF international law, an
equity called justiciable; second, issues
that cannot be decided on such prin-
ciples OF law and equity, but which
might be quite as irritating and provo
cative of war. called nonjusticiable.
We propose that for justiciable
questions we shall have an impartial
court to which all questions arising
between members Of the league shall
be submitted. If the court finds the
question justiciablc, II shall decide it,
If 1t does not, it shall refer il to
commission OF concilation to investi-
gate. confer, hear argument and reach
a compromise
We do not propose 10 enforce COM
pliance either with the courts juds-
ment or the conciliation commissions
recommendation. We feel that we
ought not to attempt too much-we
believe that the forced submission and
the truce taken to Investigate the Judi
cial decision or the conclliatory COM
promise recommended will form mat
ter of inducement to peace.
I'm it's practical application diTcul-
ties now unforeseen may arise, but we
believe the league offers working
hypthesis upon which n successful ar
rangement can be made.
REALIZE THAT TREATIES
CANNOT PREVENT WAR
we are greeted. first, BY the objec-
ton that no treaties can prevent war.
we realize that nations are sometimes
utterly immoral in breaking treaties
and shamelessly bold in avowing their
right to do so on the ground OF neces-
sity; but this Is not always the case
we cannot give up treaties because
sometimes they are broken. We de-
cline to assume that all nations are al
ways dishonorable.
1T is objected that we only propose
to include the more powerful nations.
Wen gladly include them all. but we
don't propose to have the constitution
OF our court complicated by demand
FOR equal representation OF the many
smaller nations. We believe that when
we have guarantee of larger powers,
smaller powers will be glad to come In
and enjoy the protection the league
Will afford against tho unjust aggres-
sion of the strong against the weak"
Mr.. Holt said the best way to bring
about the disarmament of the nations
was to form League of peace based
on the principles of tho American
form OF government.
Mr.. straus said that history and the