The Washington herald., 1916-06-14
TAFT DENOUNCES
WILSON POLICIES
AND HITS BRYAN
Former President Says Nation
Has Utterly Disregarded
Washington's Advice.
HAS FAILED TO PREPARE
Speaker at G. u. Graduation
Says Country Failed to Steer
Clear of Entanglements.

William Howard Taft came back to
Washington yesterday, went to the mat
with the Democratic administration on
the Georgetown University campus, and
won three quick falls.
The former President came back to the
National Capital to deliver a commence
rent address to the students OF George
town University based, by request. on
Preparedness. He did not diverge. Never
theless, he managed thoroughly to ex-
press his opinion of Messrs Woodrow
Wilson. W. J. Bryan. ct al Incidentally.
he shattered the hopes Of the sutrragists
as to their prospects II a Republican
President is elected next November.
If read the Republican platform cor
rectly," he said, the plank relating to
votes for women is a barren ideality'
William Jennings Bryan was likened
unto Thomas Jefferson by the former
President. but not to the credit of either
Jefferson a HaIf-Pscinst.
Jefferson was a sort OF half paciist-
a thing can't tolerate" said Mr. Taft
He wasn't either one thing or the other.
His idea Of q navy was to build a lot Of
little hat-oottomed boats and stick some
little guns on them He was going to
keep the boats pulled up on the shore
Then in case Of war he was going to rely
on the public spirit Of the citizenry to
push them OF the bank. paddle them out
IN the ocean, and give battle to Nelson's
feet. Bryan Is Jeferson's logical sue
cessor"
Wilson and his foreign policies were for
the most part treated with mild ridicule.
7 will not express my opinion Of the
present policy In the Philippines" he
said. Il with not because there are ladies'
present" Then the former President
veered TO the European situation, and
hinted at the Presidents leaning toward
England.
Wilson Has Disre garded Advice
George Washington gave this nation
two wonderful messages OF advice and
warning" he said. He urged an ade-
quate preparation for war in order to-
secure peace, and he warned US not to
enter into entangling alliances with Eu-
ropean countries.
I'VE have relIgtously failed to observe
the former, and have just as religiously
done the latter"
The Mexican situation was described
by Tatt as an international nuisance.
In case OF war with that nation he de-
clared he had been informed, when Presi-
nv hFs oF fhaF
Of that country would require at least
four years and $4,000 men. Then he said
After we have subdued 1t. it may be
necessary to take it. What are we going
20 do with it? It's all wrong"
Sufficient defense to withstand an at
tempted invasion by Germany was the
final plea OF the former President.
Nation Needs to Prepare.
The other countries Of Europe-Eng-
land. for instance-are not much stronger
than We are, normally" he said Ger
many alone would be able to raise an
army Of invasion numbering 10000 men
in three or four weeks. Consequently
II is to be on footing better than, or at
least equal to Germany, that we must
prepare.
IT'S all very easy to sit back, throw
out our chests, and say we can get ready
overnight" he concluded, but that's
ridiculous. 1t can't be done Some of
the pacinsts like to talk about the Span
ish-American war-whlch we wound I'D
glortously in a few months. But they
forget to mention the fact that the good
God which seems to be always looking
out for US, picked out the one country in
the world for US TO lick that was less
prepared even than we were"
coming during harvest time. we've got
a lot OF hay out Our hay consists Of
valuable territorial possessions. We want
to keep those possessions. I've found
that the best way to remove temptation
Is TO make 1t both difficult and dangerous
for other parties not to keep their hands
20 themselves"