Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-29

WASHINGTON. Dec. 29.-Two revolu-
tionary plans for insuring future world
peace today we're advocated before the
Pan-American Scientific Congress, in ses-
sion here.
In conflict with these proposals was
Colonel Roosevelts argument, in an ad-
dress read to the sociological department
of the congress. that war was as much
n necessity as police activity in civil life
When police are no longer needed in
New York and Chicago, he said, then 1t
would be time to argue peace in Europe
The Colonel delivered himself of sting
ing criticism of peace advocates such as
David Starr Jordan ana Henry Ford.
A "Pan-American court of justice"
with joint treaties among all Pan-Amer-
lean nations for compulsory arbitration
of differences, to keep peace, in the
Western Hemisphere at least, was pro-
posed by DR.. Eusebic Bracamonte, OF
Salvador. at a meeting of the interna-
tional law section of the congress.
The second peace plan was that ad-
vanced last night by ex-Secretary of State
Elihu Root. He proposes a new code of
international law after the war to be en-
forced. by force of arms, upon nations
which violate IT,.
when this war is ended" said Root,
"the civilized world will have to deter
mine whether what we call international
law is to be continued as a mere code of
etiquette or is to be real body of laws
Imposing obligations much more definite
and inevitable than they have been here
tofore. Laws, to be obeyed, must have
punishment behind them That punish
ment must be caused by powers superior
to the lawbreakers.'
Mr. Root declared that International
law had virtually become obsolete dating
A1a 81
Touching on the subject of disarma-
ment, Colonel Roosevelt said: THE task
OF getting all the policemen, all the col
lege professors, all the business men and
mechanics and also all the professional
crooks in New York to abandon the reign
of force and to live together in harmony
undoubtedly would be much easier than
TO effect a similar working agreement
among the various people of Europe,
America, Asia and Africa
discussion of the abolition of war will
not have even academic value until a
method of right living is discovered at
home which will spread so that the po-
lice force of New York and Chicago can
be abolished"
mo intelligent man desires war" Col
onel Roosevelt concluded.
But no intelligent man who is willing
10 think can fail to realize that we live
In great and free country only because
our forefathers were willing to wage war
rather than accept the peace that spells
destruction.
''At present in this world and for the
Immediate future IL is certain that the
only way successfully TO oppose the
might which is the servant of wrong is
by means of the might which is the
servant of right.
The really essential things for men 10
remember, therefore, in connection with
war are, first, that neither war nor peace
is immoral IN itself. and, secondly, that
In order TO preserve the social values
IL is absolutely essential to prevent the
dominance in our country of the one form
OF mtlitarism which is surely and com
pletely fatal, that is, the military domi-
nation of an alien enemy.
IF the man who objects TO war objects
TO the use OF force in civil life 10 protect
his home and rights, his position is logi-
cal, although both absurd and wicked"
Francisco Capella Pons, OF Uruguay
at the international law section meeting
said there was a marked tendency in
American nations 10 settle external con-
ficts in a sane and pacific" manner.
The nine sections of the congress today
divided into their 45 subsections.
Dr. Harvey w. Wiley, before the pub
lilo health section, declared that If I'VE
class as drug addicts those who have
acquired the habit for one or more OF
these drugs the number in the United
States would be close to half or two
thirds OF the population.
The epidemic OF typhus which Serbia
has just passed through IS probably the
last one which will occur in Europe or
in any other part OF the civilized world
unless conditions favoring epidemic are
worse than have ever existed before, was
the opinion expressed by DR.. B. w. Cald-
we'll He said that the lessons taught
by this present epidemic permitted an
optimistic view for the future. The dis
ease in Serbia was due entirely TO pre-
ventable causes, 10 ineXcusable indiffer-
snee on the part OF the Serbian military
and eivil authorities, he declared, and TO
''careIessness amounting to crime"
Cutting the Gordian knot resulting from
the tangls OF various conflicting customs
regulations elassifieatiOns and port prac-
tices and charges in the several Ameri-
can countries was suggested in a paper
read at the morning session OF the sec
tion on transportation. commerce and
taxation by F. NJ. Halstead, chief OF the
division OF customs of the United States
Treasury. All OF the countries. including
the United States, are guilty OF maintain
ing unreasonable regulations, he said,
and. though International conferences
have recommended uniform practices in
some particulars. the recommendation
have not yet been adopted.