Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-21
WORLD PEACE Is
BUT DREAM, SAYS J
VICE-PRESIDENT
Gives Allies and America Five
Year Tenure Without
Trade Relations
BY Associated Press


Carlisle, Dec. Ell venture the
assertion that the good will now ex-
lists between the allied governments
and our own will not last five years
unless reciprocal trade relations,
fixed in Justice, are arranged be-
tween u.s." said Vice-President
Thomas A. Marshall in an address
before the Carlisle Chamber OF
Commerce last night. Peoples learn
slowly and soon forget" he said.
The Vice-President of the United
States urged extension of the Ameri-
can merchant marine, voiced oppo-
sition to government ownership OF
vessels, declaring it, however, pre-
that until all men are of good will.
wars will not cease unless nations
desire peace at any price. "Preven-
ton, as far as possible" said the
ce-President, Il desire; at any
price. do not. Thus far, this dream
of universal peace has each succeed
ing time turned into a nightmare"
he asserted. &
Vice President Marshall said that
on the question of a world league
or understanding to prevent war all
right thinking men agree is desir-
able. He said the Allies and the
ward promoting peace, but predict-
ed that unless reciprocal trade
agreements are made between these
associated nations, existing cordial
relations cannot last. Urging exten-
sion of the American merchant ma
rine, he voiced opposition to govern
ment ownership, but declared 1t pre-
ferable to ship subsidy.
1T is farthest from my thought
upon this occasion to utter q single
word which might in any manner
be construed as endeavoring OF af-
feet the negotiations of the Presi-
dent in Europe" said the Vice
President, in opening his address.
TOO many half-baked opinions
coming from myself and others in
public life may cause mental and
moral indigestion. 1 speak, there
fore, only in general terms and go
only to the length that all may
agree.
III mankind, as n whole, desire
peace at any price they can get Ii
by the adoption of written constitu-
tions specifying, first, that the size
of the army and navy shall be fixed
by n referendum to all the men and
women of mature ages; and second,
that no war of offense nor one of
defense beyond the territorial limits
of the state Shall ever be waged un-
til affirmatively decided by q like
referendum"
Stating that commercial disputes
breed wars, Mr. Marshall continued:
Il have, of course, no means of
knowing what the representatives of
the Allied governments may be will
ing to take up with the American
people at the peace table, but ven-
ture the assertion that the good will
which now exists between the Allied
governments and our own, will NOT
last five years unless reciprocal trade
relations, fixed in justice, are ar~
ranged between us. Peoples learn
slowly and soon forget.
The theory that men are going
to deal justly with each other re-
gardless of law to punish injustice
is q millennial dream. The Allies
and America, by reciprocal trade re-
lations and by the right of power
and duty to cut off commercial
transactions with any people on
earth that proposes to disturb 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
AOPS bAANI VIC VIII nv lCl 81 ny lIild
opportune time for removing what
will undoubtedly be q source of
friction in the future unless dealt
with speedily and justly.
IF no equitable adjustment of the
business of the world shall be made
then, as businessmen who are deep
ly interested in the commerce of
that it's weakness in the past has
been the lack of ships upon the sea.
Each of us know that one of the
reasons for that lack has been the
way in which we have insisted that
our ships be manned.
Il think the LaFollette law is
wholly humanitarian in its char
acter. / hope that, by international
agreement, 1t may become the law
of the sea for all seagoing powers.
But, If 1t does not, then we are con-
fronted with three propositions:
Either to repeal the law or to SUBJ
sidize shipping or to have govern-
mental control of our merchant ma
rine, conveying the produce of our
merchants to foreign shores without
any profit to the government of the
United States.
Inherently opposed to governs
ment ownership, l should, neverthe-
less, infinitely prefer it to subsidiz-
ing private lines. This question is
one that deserves your careful study
and the very best of YOUR honest