Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-04-04
TAFT ASKS THAT
CHAMBER COMMERCE
Send Delegates to League to
Enforce Peace.
THE FOUR PROPOSALS.
How MIR. Taft Sums Up the Situation.
Point Of View History of the
League.

Ennalls Waggaman. secretary of the
/ Annapolis Chamber OF Commerce. has
! received communication from ey-
! President William II. Taft. asking thar
/ delegates be sent from here to the first
annual national assemblage of the
League TO Enforce Peace. to be held in
Washington on May 26 and 27. Nr.
Faftis president of the League.
With view to having the countrv's
business men well represented an the
Leagues first annual conference Mr.
Taft has sent a like invitation 10 all Of
| the commercial organizations which
have membership in the Chamber of
! Comerce Of the United States.
The National Chamber of Commerce
adopted through a referendum held re-
Gently, an international peace plan
similar in character 10 that Outlined
in the platform of the League to En-
force Peace, which consists of the fol
lowing four proposals. An interna-
tional court; an international council
OF conciliation; an agreemnt to use the
point armed and economic forces of
all the signatory powers to compel
submission Of international disputes to
thee ourt or council before beginning
hostilities or declaring war: an inter-
national code.
The point of difference between the
Taft Leagues plan and that of the Ma
tional Chamber of Commerce. lies in
the third proposal the latter orgaui-
zation having failed to adopt by two
thirds vote. the Joint armed force"
clause. The idea Of an economic bov-
colt however. was sustained. Mr.
Taft. in his letter received here. sums
up the situation as follows:
THE commercial organizations con-
stituting tho Chamber OF Commerce OF
the United States by their votes on
Referendum Number Eleven express
ed approval OF the fundamental princi-
pies of the League 10 enforce Peace.
Indeed, all the specific recommen,la-
tions excepting one were carried bv
majorities in excess of two-thirds.
Among the recommendations thus adopt
ed was one favoring the organization
of system Of commercial and flnan-
cial non intercourse, 10 be applied to q
nation which entered the proposed
league of nations and then went to war
without first submitting difference
which arose to an agreed upon tribu
nal
The one recommendation which Just
failed to receive the two-thirds major
ity necessary 70 commit the National
Chamber to the proposition was that
which provided for the use of con
certed military force in the event that
commercial non-intercCI arse proved in
sufficient TO compel nations which have
proceeded to war TO desist from mtu-
tary operations and submit the quest
ions at issue to an International Court
or Council OF Cancellation
Whatever may be the ultimate dc
cision of the League of Nations when
instituted upon this point it would
seem that for present practical purpos-
es the League to Enforce Peace may be
looked upon as an enemy through
which your organization may work foi
the common program embracing with
in the approval of the referendum vote
1t is from this point Of view, there
fore, that your organization is asked 20
send a delegation TO the annual meet
inc OF the League"
The League to Enforce Peace was
organized at Philadelphia i'm Independ-
ence Hail, June II, last wear. Sine
then State branches have heeu formed
or are in process Of formation in all
of the states and the District of Co
Mmbia II has the support Of q large
number of men of prominence in polit-
icaI educational and legal circles. in
al parts of the country.