Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-26
International Federation to
Curtail Strife Holding
First Session.
TO ENFORCE PEACE
Would Settle Disputes in
High Court-Former
President Talks.


iect of the League to Enforce
Peace is not to urge President
Wilson to take steps to stop the
present war, former President
Taft, president of the league, de-
clared today in opening its two
day session here.
I'VE are not here" he said. ito
urge upon the administration
steps to stop the present war.
Not that we are not hopeful that
such steps may be taken, but we
believe that a definite purpose,
purpose with limitations for an
association like this, is much more
likely to be realized than a gen.
eral platform for the benefit of
humanity
The league hoped, Mr.. Taft
said. for a world agreement on
method of making war less prob.
able.
Washington, May 26.-AmeTican ad-
vocates of an international federation
to curtail war, met here today for the
first assembly of the new league to
enforce peace. William Howard Taft,
president of the league, and Newton
D. Baker, secretary of war, were on
the days program and President Will
sons address at the closing session
tomorrow night will be a significant
utterance, it is thought About two
thousand persons attended the meet
ing.
Former President Taft's subject was
an explanation of why the constitu-
tional authority of the president and
congress to declare war, would not be
violated by the leagues plan for a fed
Grafton of nations.
Speakers pointed out that war might
not be abolished but it would be cur
tailed, for the international league
j would allow combat only if the courts
decree were not accepted by any ma
ton.
Thomas Raeburn White, Philadel-
phia lawyer, in his address sought to
answer arguments advanced against
the leagues plan.
Edward A. Filene, Boston merchant,
declared European nations at the end
of the present war, would be favorable
to the league to enforce peace.
Other Speakers at Meet.
Other speakers on today's program
were Oscar S. Straus of New York,
member of The Hague court; Hamil-
ton Holt of New York, editor of the
Independent; Professor George Graf
ton Wilson of Harvard university !;
Talcott Williams, director of Column
bia university school of journalism !;
John Bates Clark of New York, direc-
tor of a department in the Carnegie
endowment for International peace; R.
G. Rhett of Charleston, SC, president
of the chamber of commerce of the
United States; Samuel Gompers, pres
, ident of the American Federation of
Labor and Oliver Wilson of Peoria,
Ill, president of the National Grange
! Taft Urges World Court
Acceptance of membership by the
United States in a world court in
which the joint powers would use their
armed and economic forces to enforce
| its DEGREES in the interest OF interna
/ tional peace, was urged today by for
mer President Taft before the League
/ to Enforce Peace, of which he is presi
dent
| His address was closely confined tC
| technical legal questions involved in
joinder by the United States in such
an international tribunal
Mr. Taft explained that the leagues
platform proposes compulsory sub
mission to the world court of an in
ternational dispute not settled by dip
lomatic negotiations and which are
"justiciable questions"
| Referring to the so-called Bryan
peace treaties with England and
France, Mr. Taft said IT was argued
that the arbitration stipulation in
them was delegation of the authority
of the president and senate over ouI
| foreign relations.
But upon reason and authority
this objection is untenable," said Mr.
| Taft. Since the Jay treaty of 1894
Mr.. Taft stated, some American ma
ton has been party to 81 interna'
| tional treaties, of which the United
States was involved in two-thirds.
| In 10 of these, which were boun-
| dairy treaties" Mr.. Taft continued, II
was never suggested that the govern
ment was delegating any power at al
| TO the tribunal. A submission OF a ]u'
dicial question is not a delegation o.
power to an agent-it is SUBMISSION
of an issue to a Judge and it is a mis-
homer to call such a submisNon
| delegation.
Only Question OF Law.
"The question whether court mas
| Jurisdiction is nothing but question
of law. The senate has consented
from time to time 10 arbitratlons or