Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-31
MAYOR IS INVITED
TOPEACE SESSION
First National Assemhlage of League
TO Prevent Further Wars, to BE
Held In Washington.
JUDGE TAFT is THE PRESIDENT
Rock Island Executive Asked to Ap-
point Delegation of Rock
Islanders to Attend.

Ex-President William H. Taft has
asked Mayor William McConochie. 1t
was announced yesterday, to represent
the city of Rock Island at the first ma
tional annual assemblage OF the League
10 Enforce Peace, TO be held at Wash
ington on Friday and Saturday, May
26 and -. Mr.. Taft is president of the
league.
The League TO Enforce Peace has
platform of four proposals, the main
feature of which is contained in the
third which provides that the Joint
armed forces Of the great powers be
used against any nation or nations
who refuse to keep an agreement to
Try arbitration or Cancellation before
going TO war. The other three pro-
posals are for an international court,
an international council of concilia-
ton, and a code of international law.
Mr.. Taft's letter inviting the mayor
to be present at the Washington con-
ference also asks him TO appoint dele
gates thereto, and points out that the
Taft league is "no-stop-the-war move
ment, no anti-preparedness movement,
no peaCe-at-any-priCe endeavor," but
IAN earnest effort by practical men to
bring about, after the close Of the Euro
pean war, cooperation among the
nations which will tend to make peace
more permanent and war less prob
able" Mr.. Taft's letter is as follows:
MY Dear Sir: The first annual as
semblage of the League to Enforce
Peace will be held in the city of
Washington on Friday and Saturday,
May 26 and 81, with the purpose of
deyising and determining upon meas
ures for giving effect to the proposals
for league of nations to enforce
peace that were adopted at a confer
enCe held last June in Philadelphia.
This is no stop-the-war movement, no
anti-preparedneSs movement, no peace
at-any-price endeavor. 1t represents
an earnest effort by practical men to
bring about, after the close of the
European war, cooperation among
the nations which will tend to make
peace more permanent and war less
probable.
The governors Of states, the mayors
of cities and the more important bust
ness organizations of the nation af>
appointing delegates to this meeting.
You are invited to be present and
to appoint one or more commissioners
to represent your city in the assem-
blage.
The task of providing such sane
tons for international law and treaties
as can be obtained is the most impor-
tant and urgent matter before the
world and one for which America has
peculiar responsibility. | earnestly
hope that we may have your coopera-
ton in it."
Mr.. Taft has sent a similar invita-
ton to Governor Edward F. Dunno
asking him to represent the state per-
sonally and to send state delegates to
the Washington conference.
Platform of Organization.
The formal platform of the Taft
league as adopted in Independence
hall last June follows:
We believe it to be desirable for the
United States to join a league Of ma
tons, binding the signatories to the
following:
First. All justiciable questions arts
ing between the signatory powers, not
settled by negotiation, shall, subject
to the limitations of treaties, be sub
mitted to a judicial tribunal for hear
ing and Judgment. both upon the mer-
its and upon any issue as TO its juris-
diction of the question.
Second All other questions arising
between the signatories and not set
tied by negotiation, shall be submitted
to council of Cancellation for hear
ing, consideration and recommends
ton.
Third. The signatory powers shall
jointly use forthwith both their eco
nomic and military forces against any
one of their number that goes to war,
or commits acts Of hostility, against
another of the signatories before any
question arising shall be submitted as
provided in the foregoing.
(No provision is made for the en-
forcement Of the decree, however. I'm
der the plan nations may fight after
arbitration, if dissatisfedD.
Fourth. Conferences between the
signatory powers shall be held from
time to time to formulate and codify
rules of international law, which. I'M
less some signatory shall signify its
dissent within stated period, shall
thereafter govern in the decisions of
the judicial tribunal mentioned in arti-
Gle one.