Evening star., 1921-07-29
JUSTICE TAFT ASKS
CLOSER WORLD TIES
Principal Speaker at Notable
Opening of Institute
for Politics.
By the Associat ted Press.

W1LLIAMSTOWN. Mass. July 29.-
The Institute of Politics. a forum and
school for the consideration of in
ternational problems and relations,
was opened at Williams College to-
day William Howard Taft, Chief
Justice Of the United States Supreme
Court. presided. Statesmen of high
standing. among them Viscount Bryce,
were present as members of its fac
ulty. In the chairs as auditors and
students were the executives or fac
ulty members of many American col
leges. 1t was a gathering unique
if it's kind, set in what has been de-
scribed as New England's most pic
turesque college town.
To determine the means by which
International relations may be so ad-
justed that the strength of each may
be developed for the welfare of all
was advanced as the fundamental OBJ
ject of the institute in the opening
address of DIR. Harry A. Garfield,
president of Williams College. To
the foreign statesmen who are to
lecture before the institute President
Garfield extended welcome and an
appreciation. Chief Justice Taft,
Gov. Claiming Fl. Cox, President A.
Lawrence Lowell of Harvard Univer-
sity and Mayor Andrew J. Peters of
Boston were other speakers at the
opening session.
Mr.. Taft's Address.
Never before has it been so clear"
said Chief Justice Taft. in opening the
institute, that our prosperity is de-
pendent on our relations to other
countries, and the maintenance of
those relations in friendly state of
mutual confidence and good wishes.
Men and statesmen may differ as to
the means by which we shall give
permanence to this change of mind
and embody it in formal association
with other nations but circumstances
are forcing us to closer actual re-
lation with the world.
The greatest obstruction to the
worlds maintaining harmony among
it's members is the misunderstanding
between them and the lack of accu-
rate information which one nation
may have Of the exact situation of the
other and of the necessary effect of
that situation upon that others views
of their relations.
Progress made in any field of hu.
man activity is dependent upon reli-
able and accurate relevant facts. By
as much as that evidence fails in ac-
curacy or extent, the deficiencies OF
progress are measured. This institute
is to help perfect the evidence as to
the facts bearing upon the interna
tional relations between countries
Foreign relations are not affected by
material statistical and economic facts
alone. but also by the Interpretation
Of those facts or the belief as to wha,
the facts are by, the people of each
country.
Conceived Before War.
This institute was conceived be-
fore the war came on, but it's Or
ganization had to be postponed be-
cause of the war. The war made its
usefulness clearer. We are apparently
to indulge in a pessimistic estimate
of the good that the war has done
because of the failure to realize the
enthusiastic hopes of the noble men
and women of all the nations, who
offered up their great sacrifices in
the confidence that the defeat of
Germany and the victory of the rest
of the world over the German ambi-
ton would end war forever, and
lead to an abiding peace and pros
perity under peace.
Such an end as this is not achiev-
ed all at once. The elimination OF
Germany's destructive ambition is a
great step forward. but it is not
everything. A huge task confronts
won The war has done much to
change the international mind and
the psychology of the peoples, and
has impressed the whole world, as
never before, with the inevitable in
terdependence of peoples and coun-
tries. and the necessity for recog nizing
he restored. il the world is to pro-
gress at ali, and if it is to be worth
living in"