Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-21
TRADE AGREEMENT
PEACE ESSENTIAL
Vice President Discusses
World League Before Car
Isle Business Men.
STERN LAWS NEEDED

CARLISLE, Pa. December 21.-Vfce
President Marshall. in an address here
last night before the Carlicle Cham
Der of Commerce, gave his views on
some questions now under discussion
in connection with the peace confer
ences, prefacing his remarks with the
explanation that he had no thought of
endeavoring to affect President Will
sons negotiations.
On the question of a world league
or understanding to prevent war
which, he said. all right-thinklng men
agree is desirable, Mr. Marsnau oe
clared that until all men are of good
will wars will not cease unless ma
lions desire peace at any price. He
said the allies and the United states
could go very far toward Promotins
peace, but predicted that unless TRACE
associated nations existing corolal
relations cannot last. Urging extern
sion of the American merchant
marine, he voiced opposition 10 gov.
eminent ownership, but declared II
preferable to a ship subsidy
Too Many Half Baked Opinions.
ut is farthest from my thought
upon this occasion to utter single
word which might in any manner pc
construed as endeavoring to ahect the
negotiations of the President in Eu-
rope" said the Vice President, IN
opening his address. TOO many
half-baked opinions coming from my
self and others in public lie may
/ speak, therefore, only in general
terms and go only to the length that
all may agree.
sNThat some league or understand
ing among civilized peoples Tor the
prevention of certain future wars Gas
I prefer to put it rather than for the
enforcement of peace) is desirable, all
ight-thinking men agree. II mas
been the dream of all ages. Thus Tar
this dream of universal peace mas
each succeeding time turned into
nightmare.
Conditions for Peace.
This appears to me to be the real
situation: If mankind the world over
is the mankind of hundred years
ago. or, if there is the posslpiilty
that either England. France; ltaly or
the United States contains the grow
ing germ of military or commercial
SUPREMACY, then, though attempt may
be made to preserve the peace OF
the world. the attempt Will be an
other failure If, however. the masses
of mankind in these four great ma
lions and in the lesser natlons, ior
whom Jointly the fight has been made,
have seen a new light and are con-
WINGED of the uselessness and 1oily
Of war. and if more and more educa-
ton and enlightment as the Gays
go by and the generations come anu
90 shall add to the number OF NOSE
Who thus think, then the experiment
will succeed.
"Until all men are men OF good
will wars will not cease entirely, un-
less nations want peace at any price.
Prevention, as far as possible, de-
ever, if mankind, as a whole. desire
it at any price, they can get IT by
the adoption of written constitutions,
specifying, first, that the size of the
army and navy shall be hxed by
referendum to all the men and won.
en- of mature age; and. second. that
no war of offense nor one of defense
beyond the territorial limits OF the
state shall ever be waged until al
firmatively decided by a like referen-
dunn"
Learn Slowly; Soon Forget.
Stating that commercial disputes
breed wars, Mr. Marshall continued:
II have, of course. no means OF
knowing what representatives Of the
allied governments may be willing
to take up with the American people
at the peace table, but I venture the
assertion that the good will which
now EXISTS betw zen the allied gov
ernments and our own will not last
1--WE years unless reciprocal trade re-
iations, fixed in justice, are arranged
between us. Peoples learn slowly and
soon forget.
..The theory that men are going to
deal Justly with each other regard
less Of a law to punish injustice Is a
millennial dream. The allies and Amer
ica by reciprocal trade relations and
by the right of power and duty to cut
off commercial transactions with any
people on earth that proposes to dis
turb the peace of the world, can go
very far toward promoting that peace
which we all just now so sincerely
desire.
without knowledge, express the
hope that we will not let go by this
opportune time for removing what
will undoubtedly be a source Of fric-
ton in the future unless dealt with
speedily and justly.
Lack of Ships a Weakness.
IF no equitable adjustment of the
business of the world shall be made
interested in the commerce of Amer
lea. you realize as well as l do that
its weakness in the past has been the
lack of ships upon the sea.
Each of us knows that one of the
reasons for that lack has been the
way in which we have insisted that
our ships shall be manned. I think
the La Toilette law is wholly human
itarian in its character. I hope that,
by international agreement. it may
become the law of the sea for all sea-
going powers. But. if it does not,
then we are confronted with three
propositions-either to repeal the law
or to sudsidize shipping or to have
governmental control of our merchant
marine. conveying the produce of our
merchants to foreign shores without
any profit to the government of the
United States.
"Inherently opposed to government
ownership. 1 should. nevertheless. in
initely prefer it to subsidizing pri-
vate lines. This question is one that
deserves our careful study and the
very best of our honest judgment"
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