The Washington herald., 1917-11-19
IN WAR To END,
SAYSTAFTAT
YIN. C. A. RALLY
Former President StirsMass
Meeting in Belasco by
Patriotic Plea.

The Russian and italian situations
are fraught with SERIOUS danger. No
one can prophecy now how long the
war will last. The only thing we can
do Is to make up our minds, no mat
ter how long the war continues, that
We win be there at the end"
This is what former President Taft
said yesterday afternoon at the rally
In the Belasco Theater to raise funds
for Y. NJ. c. A. work among the SOL
diers.
More than $4,000 was subscribed at
the meeting. In all, Washington has
raised approximately S125, 900 of a total
quota Of s150.0O0.
After the stirring appeal of the for
mer President, julius Rosenwald, of
Chicago, arose In the audience and
said:
Here's 5000 for your fund IL an
other 5000 can be raised tonight"
F. L. Howard. campaign manager
OF the fund, said that II sloO, 900 were
raised before the end of the night he
would contribute $4,000.
Then Mr.. Taft's team" got busy.
Pledge cards were signed by the hun
dreds. and thousands OF dollars
tue treasury.
Cheers and applause greeted the
genial former Presidents remarks all
through his speech. and particularly
when he said with deep feeling:
I'VE are neither Republicans nor
And we are firmly behind the Presi-
dentp
Praise for President.
"By his desire to avoid conflict and
his great patience, MT, Wilson proved
coneiusfyeiy that he was forced into
war because honor and .duty required
II, continued Mr.. Taft. There was
nothing else for US to do. The sug-
gestioff that We should not have gone
to war ignores our honor. our pres
tige, our usefulness and the spirit
shown In the Revolution and in the
civil war"
He referred to Count Won Bernstorr
as that distinguished, entirely ethical
statesman" and compared the Ger
man diplomats Lusitania warming to
a notice sent by one man to another
that he would be shot on sight.
Senator La Toilette says we went
to war upon a technicality," said Mr..
Taft. Senator La Follette-well. 1t
does no good to call names. That does
not help the argument"
In beginning his speech Mr.. Taft
said:
Il am glad to be in Washington. I
remember being here previously. I
haven't forgotten that the sun shines
a little brighter in Washington than
It does anywhere else.
"And was glad to come here on
this errand because I believe that
what you are here for this afternoon,
the raising of this $35, 00O, ,000-I hope it
will be $50.00O,00O, because $50. .oo0. 900 is
needed-is one of the great indispen-
sable movements for winning the war.
I'VE are looising forward" the for
mer President emphasized in conclu-
sion, ito some kind of international
arrangement that shall prevent a re-
currence Of such a horrible disaster
to the human race asathis war. That
got to depend more or less on treaties
and treaty obligations.
Can we trust a nation like Ger
many in such an arrangement? A
nation like that in the family of ma
tions is like a mad dog, and you
never know when the hydrophobia
VIII bring about the death wound by
a bite. The only way you can get
rid of a mad dog is to kill it!
You defeat a. nation that expects
victory, and a nation that is a milf
tary dynasty must have victory to
indicate itself; you bring about de-
feat, and the psychological change i'm
mediately takes place all right; and
they will do without any agency Of
ours what we would wish them to 90!
They viii look about for q scapegoat;
they will reIegate William Of the
Hohenzollerns and the Prussian mill
tary regime to the place where they
ought to CO."