Evening star., 1916-05-26
FORMER PRESIDENT TAFT
PRESIDES AT MEETINGS
President Wilson to Speak at Ban
quet to Be Given Tomor-
row Night.
1000 DELEGATES ATTENDING
Three Sessions Today at Belasco
Theater-Speakers Suggest
Method of Settling Inter
national Disputes.

Presided over and addressed bv
former President Taft. and antici-
pating an address this afternoon
from Secretary OF War Baker and
speech tomorrow night from
President Wilson. American ad-
vocates of an international feder-
alton to curtail war, following the
present European struggle, are
holding three sessions here today.
This assembly of the new
league to enforce peace, which is
meeting in the Belasco Theater.
has brought together more than
1000 leaders in thought. includ-
ing presidents OF universities and
heads OF railroads and of COM
Inercial, labor and farm organiza-
tions.
The plan as briefly outlined is
the formation of a league of ma
tlons to submit all international
disputes to arbitration and cstab-
llshnent of a Joint police force t.
guarantee that no nation will
violate the agreements.
Former President Taft made
the principal speech this after
noon. This dealt with an ex-
planation of why the constitu-
tlonal authority of the President
and Congress to declare war
would not be violated BY the
leagues plan.
Brief Reference to Present War.
Speakers referred only incidentally
to methods of ending the present war,
since the leagues program includes
only the minimizing of future conflicts
over questions which might be adiudf-
Gated by an international court. An
u ecN lhdt ti!e ltiilttu states become
party to the suggested agreement
They pointed out that war might not
be abolished. but it would ne curtailed
for the international league would al
low combat only if the courts decree
were not accepted by any nation.
President Wilson to Give Views.
The address of, President Wilson a,
k.
bly, tomorrow night is looked forward
10 with a great deal of interest. as his
advisers say his remarks will be Of
e; cat Importance. 1t Will he the first
speech devoted entirely to peace which
ne mas given since the outbreak of the
european war.
addresses at the meetings today in
.,iuded authoritative statements from
Thomas Raeburn White a noted Phil
kdeiphia lawyer: Oscar s Straus for
tner amba ssador to Turkey and a mem
her OF The Hague tribunal; Edward A.
fiiene Boston merchant and leader
in commercial affairs; Hamilton Holt
<dItor OF the Independent: former Pres
Ihent Taft. George Grafton Wilson
professor of international law at Har-
ward: Talcott Williams. director of the
srhooi OF Journalism at Columbia Uni
Nersity, and Prof John Bates Clark
Of the Carnegie Endowment for Inter-
national Peace.
Secretary Baker in List of Sneakers
Newton d. Baker. Secretary of Var
T. 10 deliver the principal speech TO-
night Others Will be by Samuel Com
pers. president of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor: oliver Wilson OF
Peoria. Ill, president Of the National
Grange. x 6. Rhett, president of the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
states.
Among the speakers on the program
Tor tomorrow are Theodore Marburg Of
Baltimore. former American minister Ia
Belgium. President Wheeler of the t,ni-
versity Of California: President A Law
renee Lowell of Harvard University;
r. rsident Sha ailer Matthews Of the Fed
e'2l Council of Churches ana Cardinal
Gibbons.
.1e public viii not be admitted 10 any
pf t.3e sessions Of the League to En-
fD.c- Peace convention Al the Relascc
Tacater until after all delegates wear
ln- deie-ate badges, seated.
seats will be reserved for regular
Gelegatea until FIVE minutes after the
hour advertised.
IN auxiliary meeting for women is
being held at the New Willard 10 con.
sider The Cooperation of Women
This is in charge of DR.. A Lawrence
Lowell. president of Harvard Uni
versity.