New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-03
Preparedness Recognized
as Necessary to Inter
national Justice.
Mr.. TAFT DEFINES
THE WORLD COURT
Carnegie Hall Full of Delegates
and Ablaze with Ameri-
can Flags.

Major General Leonard Woods plea
for preparedness was cheered to the
echo at the opening session OF inc
World Court Congress. The hundreds
of delegates. representing most OF the
nesce societies in America, met IN 'ar-
nccie Hall yesterday afternoon and
evening. on the platform, when was
ahlaze with a solid mass OF American
flags. we're seated nearly every one OF
IN, men and women whose names have
been connected with the movement to
establish international peace since the
foundation OF the Peace Palace at The
Hague.
After the invocation. pronounced by
Or. Percy Stickney Grant, and the ad-
dress Of welcome. delivered by ex-
Chamberlain Henry Bruere, John Hays
Hammond, PRESIDENT OF the World
Court League. announced the purpose
behind the movement for world
court.
an the present war" he said. I'VE
see that diplomacy has failed utterly;
that its inherent faulty has led pur-
blind nations into a cstaclysm OF folly.
We see that considerations, religious,
humane and economic, while combining
to make war less probable. have not
availed TO make war impossible. And
we see the inadequacy Of arbitration
tribunals. which invariably involve
compromise satisfactory to neither
party. Geographic remoteness, poli,-
cal inofTensiveness or military UMPIRE
paredness have not avsiled 10 assure
nation against warfare, and however
much we are opposed TO the profigscy
Of huge ornaments VIC must recognize
the necessity OF maintaining an ade-
ouate national defence II we would es-
cape the humiliation Of China and the
agony of Belgium"
World Court TO Follow the War.
In his plea for the world court Mr..
Hammond said that even its most san
guine advocates recognized that it
would not render future wars impos-
sble. but all believed that it would
minimize the liability OF war by eradi-
eating many issues that are a constant
menace to peace. The world court
can DO established at the termination
Of the European war" continued Mr..
Hammond. "in connection with the dis
cussions of the terms of peace. We be
lieve that the sunlight of Gods truth
is needed in international relations.
There must be no more secret treaties,
but all must be recorded before great
international court, open 10 all the
world"
1t was General Wood, following
John Hays Hammond. who struck the
keynote Of the congress, the military
preparedness Of the United States TO
enforce the DEGREES of the court with
the sword As great applause as that
which greeted ex-President Taft fol
lowed the generals declaration that
if the United States is TO he an i'm
portant member of the court IL must
be prepared 70 take its part with force
when reason fails"
1--WE must meet the strength OF
wrong with the sword Of right he
said. 1--WE are 90 look TO u that all
treaties which we go into are treaties
10 be carried out, not made TO please
people for the moment As long as
men see visions and dream dreams and
believe things TO be absolutely true
and right they must be prepared TO
support them. not only with moral
arguments but with their bodies II
necessary
Not a Board Of Arbitration.
The forty-minute address of eX-Pres-
ident Taft to the congress was devoted
10 proving that an international court
was far from being an impossible ideal
and that fundamentally II must not be
court Of arbitration, but body OF
delegates whose decisions and interpre-
tation Of international law should be
final. Mr. Taft termed II a per
mapeDt court Of international justice,
into which nations who had broke the
laws should be brought as individual
malcfactors are taken before a civil
court to-day.
There are many questions. Mr.. TAFT
said. that can never be determined by
a judicial court and which can only
be settled by arbitration proceedings.
The question Of immigration and nat
uralization of foreigners in this coun-
trv he cited as case in point. I'VE
have the right" Mr.. Taft said, ITO say
who shall come into our country and
who shall stay out and who shall be
come citizens and who shall not We
have adopted a color scheme Of black
and white only, which admits 70 our
country only white aliens and those OF
/ African descent, TO the exclusion OF the
| yellow and brown races. Nevertheless,
| the resentment felt at this discrimina-
ton, particularly by the japanese, may
| lead to controversies, friction and pos
/ sibly war. II might become subject OF
/ arbitration, but never one 70 be settled
| by court in legal manner. In the
same way political questions. like the
! Monroe Doctrine. cannot be settled as
] & i.o.l rtnbt -