The sun., 1918-12-30
TAFT HOPES WILSON
PLAN WILL SUCCEED
Says in Speech That League
Of Nations Should Be in
Peace Treaty.
WOULD SOLVE PROBLEMS
Former President Declares
His Successor More Popular
in Europe Than Princes.

william Howard Taft voiced his APP
prevail yesterday Of the purposes of Pres
ident Wilson'S trip to Europe, expressed
the hope that the President would Sue
coed In his efforts to have the league Of
nations plan embodied in the peace
treaty. and made the fiat assertion that
Mr.. Wilson has more influence to-day
among the common people OF England.
France and the other Entente countries
"than their W princes"
Mr.. Taft spoke at an afternoon meet
ing Reid under the auspices OF the
Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences
In the Brooklyn Academy Of Music. He
attributed the Presidents popularity
among the plain people In the allied ma
lions TO his ~enunciation OF the principles
for which the United States had entered
the war. The league Of nations plan. he
said, had helped to win their sympathies.
"You will notice. he said. that Lloyd
George and Clemenceau have come out
for It. Now, OF course. I don't want to
suggest any Interior political motives
but there are politicians in Europe as
we'll as in the United States"
Would CIinch War Purposes.
II Mr.. Wilson succeeds In Incorporate
ing the plan in the treaty. Mr.. Taft
added. a number of the "reactionary"
political leaders here will change their
attitude toward the scheme. which they
have branded as 'Utopian."
The theme developed by Mr.. Taft was
the essential part that a league of ma
lions would play In "clinchinS the pur-
poses of the war" Such a league, MT
Taft thought, could be used as an ef-
fective agent In settling the difhculties
in Russia, In solving the problem OF the
ultimate destiny of the German colonies
In West Africa, East Africa. Australasia
and the Pacific, in fixing and MAINTAIN
ing boundaries in the Balkans n III
protecting the new nations which have
arisen out OF the war.
Mr.. Taft recommended that the Ger
man colonies he turned over to a dFec7
torate composed OF the four nations
which will have the most to say in die
Eating the terms OF peace. Germany
he said. had been cruel in it's manage
ment of these colonies and had therefore
forfeited all right to them.
No single nation, Mr.. Taft said. could
! unta ngle the situation in Russia. That
problem, ne added, required the main
tenance of a combined force to support
Russia and cradle the people TO shake
Off the grip Of the Bolsheviki and estao-
lish a real government
Prefers Despot to Mob Rule.
poor Prussia" said the speaker.
She has had her Ronanoffs, but be-
tween a one man despotism and MOB
rule I prefer the former n time. the
theory the Rolsheviki are apparently en-
| %dea vor 10 work out Is that any man
who raises himself by his own efforts is
a menace to srciety. In carrying out
that principle they have killed. without
trial, more people than were guillotlned
In the French Revolution.
Then we will have to divide territory
IN the Balkans. Rumania has her terri
torisl aspirations and probably We will
give her what she wants. We must fix
boundaries and keep them fixed. We
have established international govern
ments for Constantinople and independ-
! ent governments in Palestine, Armenia
! and the Caucasus. The establishment
OF peace is also going to create ten or a
dozen new States out OF the dominions
OF the Central Empires, which will serve
10 hem In Germany and keep her from
ever again exercising irresponsible
, power. Those who launch the new ma
| tons must establish a league of nations
TO keep them going"
Mr.. Taft described the proposed inter-
| national police force as an international
'~Spanking agency, the background of
| power whose very existence would obvi-
ate the necessity for exercising It,"
AT the beginning OF the war" he said,
we didn't appreciate to the nun extent
the world issues at stake. We have
learned among other things that We were
not fighting the HohenLollerns alone, but
the whole German people, and we had to
give them the treatment which would
most effectively rid them OF their insane
obse<slon with regard to their function
in the universe