New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-12-17

MIR. TAETS ARGUMENTS.
After listening to William Howard
Taft expound his arguments in favor
OF a league of nations in this city last
evening. no one present will deny that
there are many ececellent reasons why
such an international association of
this nature should be organized. 1t
was not so much ex-President Taft
who spoke,-it was Lawyer TAFT, and
he was pleading for the plaintiff in
the case of the League of Nations VS.
the "Reacticnaries". The people in
the audience composed the bar Of
Justice and if they were asked to an
nounce a decision it would have been
in favor OF the plaintiff.
Mr.. Taft believes that the war will
have been fought in vain unless from
1t there develops living force that
will make wars improbable in the flu
ture. He made an especially good
point when he drew a parallel be-
tween the treaty that is to be made
at Paris and the Constitution Of the
United States. The latter instrument
has been amended frequently and 1t
may be necessary to amend the
treaty as years pass. The Constitu-
ton drawn at the birth of our repub-
lie requires the constant presence of
O. Supreme Court to interpret it's
meaning The treaty, Mr.. Taft says,
Will also require a Supreme Court for
the same purpose and this court
could be part of q league OF nations,
which may also exercise powers Of
amendment.
In Congress, at the present time,
are a number of Senators who object
to the Senate considering the league
of nations and the peace treaty as
unit. To these-Senator Knox being
their leader-Mr. Taft paid his COM
p1iments. He also laughed at those
spirits who fear engaging in foreign
entanglements' and said that George
Washington, who warned against
such alliances, could not have fore
seen the role in which America ap~
pears today.
Mr.. Taft gave hts views on d sub
ject of more than passing interest in
the United States today--England's
refusal 20 reduce her armament. He
expressed the conviction that there
was no reason why England should
adopt such a course until it was
shown that a league of nations-a
force for peacc-was a suitable sub
stitute for her present naval power
A neutral opinion on the effect of
Mr.. Tafts speech would be that he
greatly strengthened the cause he
represents His was an able argu-
ment.
Those who favor and those who OPP
pose consideration of the league of
nations as part and parcel of the
peace pact are able to furnish what
anneer to be fair reasons for
their respective views. Senator Knox
and his associates believe that It will
endanger the treaty if an attempt is
made to include a league of nations
clause as rider. If the league of
nations, as constructed by the peace
architects at Paris, Is not acceptable to
the Senate and is rejected, the treaty
In It's entirety will be rejected, they
say. They believe no attempt should
be made to introduce extraneous mat
ter into the terms of the actual treaty
and that the 1eagde of nations should
be considered after the questions OF
peace have been decided and not dur.
ing the discussion.
On the other hard, those who de
sire to gee a league of nations Great
ed in connection with the treaty take
their stand on the fear that such 4
league may not be established at al
unless in connection with tie pact, II
is not beyond reason that the dele
gates from European countries will
overlook the league of nations once
they have passed on the terms OF
peace. they assert, and in order to
prevent this they seek early consid-
Grafton OF the league project.