Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-14
Former President Taft Cites
Dangers to U. S. Before
Georgetown Graduates.
REMOVE TEMPTATION
FROM POWERS, HE URGES
DIFFICULTIES in Maintaining Neu-
ltraity Held Reasons for Bet
ter Army and Navy.

Laying emphasis on how close we
ar3 to war in a survey of the foreign
relations Of the United States, former
President Taft made definite sugges-
tidns as to how the United States should
besprepared to meet this gravely pro-
spfctive menace in an address to the
graduating class of Georgetown Uni
veksity. Mr.. Taft was introduced by
President Donlon with the suggestion
that he should some day be Chief Jus
tice of the Supreme Court.
The scene on the Georgetown campus
wSs a vivid one. More than 5000 per-
sops were seated at the outdoor COM
mSncement exercises. and the applause
that echoed Mr.. Taft's Unexpectedly en-
phStic and striking sentences was loud
ana prolonged.
Academic Procession.
The commencement program was pre-
ceaed by an academic procession of sew
eral thousand Georgetown professors,
alumni and graduates, with other dig
nitaries 1t was led by Rev. A. ]. Dom
Lon 8. j.. president of the college. es-
cefting Chief Justice Edward D. White.
Among those on the platform were
St4tes Supreme Court: Henry S. Bou-
ten, former minister to Switzerland; D.
w Baker. Hugh J; Fegan. George H
Hughes, Hannis Taylor, United States
Commissioner Arson S. Taylor, James
sMcDonough. candidate for senator
Dean Kober of the medical school,
Hurry Hiskey, the minister from
H4iti; DIR. Baker of the medical school,
B9n}smin F. Tracey, DR.. Charles Stone.
II neVaraanX he Irror IL
Shfndelle. DR.. G. T. Vaughan, the Rev.
John d. Whitney and John B. Madigan
Defines Aims of Peace League.
Is president of the League to Enforce
Pehce Mr.. Taft defined the aims of that
league and advocated that the partici-
patton Of the United States in such
League of nations was the only safe
cotrse in the present days of danger.
he pointed to the difficulties of main
tapping neutrality in the present war
asia strong argument for proper and
ADEQUATE arming.
toming to the present prospect of
w5r, he said. let US regard our posi-
tidp as neutral. We have tried to
haSe been violated by Germany in sub
Je9ing our citizens, travelling as they
hafe the right to travel, on non-com-
bafant vessels. to drowning without
ust absurd rules as to the blockade.
ThPse two issues show how close we
4 arN to war, as compared to the situa-
tidli that would have existed in Wash
ind ton's day. which prompted his ia
NOUS warning against entangling
alliances
Would Remove Temptation.
fwe have a good many interests
arxund the world which others would
LIKE to direct This war hasn't shown
any persistent altruism. and it seems
to me that our Christian duty is to re-
m4ve temptation of despoliation by
otter nations by making those inter-
esfs difficult to seize"
Nr. Taft declared the colonial posses
si4ns of the United States make i'm
pefative a larger army and navy. He
referred particularly to Germany and
oriental nations as possible enemies
tolbe met in war.
Without being invidious." declared
Nj Taft. Il want to say that IL we
hsFe enough to meet anybody" He
conpared the navies of the two coun-
trfs, declaring that the Teuton en-
pfc has bigger and better balanced
neet, and that we must increase our
arpy. make our navy larger and more
4 symmetrical. and man our coast de-
fetses with experts before we could
hope to resist successfully an invasion
strength.
4r. Taft pictured the United States
as nation having the most varied and
Widespread interests. 1t is a power he
oeflared. in the chimes Of the arctic, in
thf West Indies. South America, Asiatic
waters and in the Atlantic.
/. Alaska Base for Attack.
ALASKA" he said. offers a base of
attack against the United States. as IL
IL .undefended. We own the Philip
piHes-that ia. up to date-and as long
as I'VE hold them it makes us an Ash
atic power. am not going to say
ANYTHING about the policy we ought to
pufsue there. for. with Dickens char
acter. 6ilas Wegg. I cannot express
mt views before the ladies' present
I'm our Asiatic relations it is OBJ
sefvable that the open door has been
steadily closing since the Russo-Japa-
neee war. on account of our helping
Japan to lick Russia. With the Chi