No Intervention, Is Taft's Decision.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 23, 1913:
To Enter Mexico Might Cost Thousands of Lives and Millions of Money, with No Benefits.
HONORED FOR PEACE WORK
Receives the Carnegie Gold Medal and Praise of United Societies and of Wilson.
    President Taft came out strongly last night against intervention in Mexico. He asked for patience and an entire absence of such acts as might suggest that this country was doing anything to exploit the present situation for her own benefit. The only thing the country could do, he declared, was to pray that some power might appear in Mexico to bring back peace and tranquillity, for we must above all, he said, refrain from plunging into war, which, after the sacrifice of thousands of lives and millions of treasure, would bring us no results.
    The President was speaking at a dinner given him at Sherry's by the American Peace and Arbitration League as a testimonial for all that he had accomplished in the cause of international peace. Joseph H. Choate, ex-Ambassador to England, presented him with the gold medal of the National Institute of Social Sciences, and Domicio da Gama, the Brazilian Ambassador, paid the President a tribute for the geniality and optimism which had made his relations with the south American republics so much easier and more helpful.
    But with all the applause heaped upon him, the President replied that he could ask for recognition only for what he had intended and not what he had accomplished. He referred with regret to the arbitration treaties which had failed, and he pronounced the idea of war with Great Britain over the Canal difficulty as jocose, if it had not the authority of a Senator behind it. He urged the necessity of more helpful relations between the united States and the republics of Central America and the West Indies, so that this country might aid the smaller neighbors to greater, stability of national life, and he concluded with a few words of farewell as President of the United States to the people of New York.
    The dining hall of Sherry's was hung with the collection of peace flags of all nations made by Dr. R. S. Freedman, and from one wall blazed in variegated letters the word Pax. Henry Clews was in the chair and with President Taft on his arm led to the guest table a distinguished array of public men, among whom were Joseph H. Choate, Oscar S. Straus, T. Kennard Thomson, Bishop Boyd Carpenter, J. Van Vechten Olcott, Job E. Hedges, Alton B. Parker, Chester S. Lord, Charles D. Hilles, and John H. Finley.
    Nearly as many women as men were present at the dinner, and at a special table were Mrs. William H, Taft, Mrs. Elmer E. Black, Mrs. Cyrus C. Miller, Mrs. Nelson Henry, Herman Ridder, R. A. C. Smith, Major Edward Schermerhorn, and Edward Kellogg Baird. A number of the other tables were reserved for such organizations as the New York Peace Society, the American Peace and Arbitration League, and the China Society of America.

Gets Wilson's Praise.

    In asking a blessing on the evening, the Rev. Dr. Remensnyder mentioned the distinguished service in the cause of peace of the President, and the same note was struck in the letter of regret which was read from President-elect Woodrow Wilson. It read:

    Bermuda, Dec. 11, 1912.

    Mr. Andrew B. Humphreys, General Secretary of the American Peace and Arbitration League.
    My Dear Sir: I warmly appreciate the kind invitation to be present at the Peace testimonial reception and banquet in honor of President Taft, to be given in New York City on the evening of Feb. 22, 1913. I greatly regret that it will be impossible for me to accept, I have laid myself under the strictest limitations between now and time when I shall feel that I have really got accustomed to the harness of my new office, I deem it my duty to devote my whole time and attention to making ready for the proper performance of my duties at Washington.
    I am sure that the committee will appreciate my scruple in this matter. It would be very gratifying to me, indeed, if it were possible for me to be present and play a part in expressing the appreciation of the country for the consistent efforts of President Taft in behalf of peace.

    WOODROW WILSON.

    Mr. Humphrey called attention to the death of five of the members of the Peace and Arbitration League and asked the audience to stand in silence as he read their names. They were: Vice President Sherman, Albert K. Smiley of Lake Mohonk, Senator Taylor of Tennessee, Gen. F. D. Grant, and Gen. Stewart L. Woodford. A special peace anthem dedicated to Andrew Carnegie was sung by Miss Grant and then Henry Clews as Toastmaster gave the toast of President Taft.
    In doing so he referred to the fact that it was at a peace dinner of the league in New York three years ago that the President first declared for universal arbitration and said that he could not see why matters of National honor could not be submitted to arbitration just as matters of property or National proprietorship were.
    Mr. Clews predicted that the day of the reign of universal peace was not far distant, but said that he was in favor as the best prevention of war of preparedness for the unexpected and, therefore, would wish for a strong fleet. Then having expressed the hope that the difference with England might be arbitrated he presented the President to the audience as "our country's greatest international peace advocate."
    "I am greatly honored by this testimonial from forty societies devoted to the cause of international peace," began the President, "and I appreciate from my heart your kindness in giving me this evidence of your approval. But I cannot restrain a slight sense of obtaining goods under false pretenses, for what you approve is only what I have said, and if there is a defect in our politics it is in deferring to what people say and not what they do."
    The President went on to express his deep disappointment that the two treaties with France and Great Britain were not confirmed by the Senate. But as the Senate had the power to confirm treaties before they became effective, he, as a law-abiding citizen, must bow to their judgment.
    "But," went on Mr. Taft, "I hope that in the future, in the near future, with a change in the Senate and a Providential election, a change may come. Then we shall establish treaties with all well-established Governments for the submission of all disputes to negotiation and arbitration."
    While admitting that what seemed to him plain was not plain to all and that some men refuse to listen to the argument that what was possible to individuals could also be possible for nations, Mr. Taft expressed the belief that the time was certainly coming when it would be possible.
    "Once," he said, "disputes between individuals were settled on the field of honor. That has been laughed out of existence as far as individuals are concerned. But unfortunately we can't as yet laugh it out of existence as far as nations are concerned, for the sense of humor does not as yet exist in the mass.

Uncivilized Corners.
    "I admit that wars have accomplished much. They have caused the extinction of tyrannies and the substitution of better forms of government, but now we have reached the time in most parts of the earth in which government has become more and more established. Of course, there are difficulties in urging peace in every case, as there are still corners of the earth with little ability of self-government. You can't make an effective peace with fifty or sixty different groups of guerillas.
    The President then touched on the difficulties with which he and his advisers had been struggling for the last few weeks, and as he approached the subject of Mexico the attention of all the audience became closely riveted upon him.

    "That is the problem," he said, "with which we must now deal. I believe that the United States, in spite of the Senate and the limitations that many respectable
    Senators insist should attach to the power to make contracts for the future, is under God the greatest agency for peace. This country has relations with the other countries in this hemisphere. You may speak of the Monroe Doctrine — I don't care what names or what limitations are to be applied — all I say is that we owe something more to these republics than we owe to the countries of Europe. We ought to cultivate an influence over these individual republics to prevent them from being so weak and unstable and so prone to revolution.
    "We have the right :to offer our mediation to assist in the avoidance of murderous revolutions which subject their peoples to such terrible sufferings. I am thinking mainly of the republics of Central America and the West Indies, for the South American republics are growing stronger day by day, while the Central American States produce revolutionists every little while.
    "I know it is said that we should ignore these troubles and should not intervene to prevent revolutions. I think we should make such treaties and perfect such financial relations as to secure peace and prosperity."

Must Avoid Intervention.
    Mexico for two years has been a very sad picture to every lover of his kind, to every supporter of popular government, to every man hopeful of establishing peace under a stable government. But we must not despair. We must in a case like Mexico — for it differs from the Central American republics — take such action as shall give them to believe we are not moved by selfish purposes or arouse them to opposition to us."
    Then amid cheers from every part of the room President Taft came out with a definite pronouncement against intervention.
    "We must avoid." he said, "in every way that which is called intervention, and must use all the patience possible, with the prayers that some power may arise there to bring about peace throughout that great country. We have to take precautions, and those have been taken, but I have no sympathy whatever — none at all, and the charge of cowardice does not frighten me in the slightest — with that which would prompt us for purposes of exploitation and gain to invade another country and involve ourselves in a war the extent of which we could not realize, and sacrifice thousands of lives and millions of treasure. And then, when we had succeeded, what would we have? No, we must exercise patience in a concrete case like this."
    Then, turning to the Central American and West Indian republics, President Taft laid stress on the fact that they had appealed to this country for aid, and that they should not be disappointed.
    "I am hoping," he said, "that the Monroe Doctrine and brotherly relations should prompt us, a great Nation, as we are, to come into relations with these republics, which without sacrifice of life and treasure, but by the use of our prestige, may help their Governments to put down revolutions. I do not think that there is enough of neighborly feeling among our leading men toward these republics. They do not feel the serious obligation which we have to the little powers."
    President Taft took up next the difficulty with Great Britain over the Panama Canal. He said that he had heard it said that it was only a domestic matter, but if a domestic matter be placed in a treaty it became a matter for arbitration and its character could not be altered by styling it "domestic."
    "Why, of course, we can arbitrate the question," exclaimed the President. "We can't stand up and say that it's true it's in the treaty, but it affects us so deeply that we can't arbitrate it. That's my view of the Panama Canal matter."
    Then Mr. Taft scoffed at the idea of going to war with England over the matter after this 100 years of peace and with the 3,000 miles of boundary between the United States and the Dominion of Canada without a fortification.
    "The idea that we should fight about the canal if it were not for the statement of a Senator would be jocose," he said.
    Then President Taft bade farewell. If his speeches had not had all the effect he could have wished, at least he knew that the cause of peace was progressing.
    "Good-night, my friends — good-bye," he said. "I am going back to Washington to lay down such power as I have had — a power which I have been glad to exercise wherever I could in the cause of peace. And I leave you with the most cordial expressions of thanks for your appreciation of what I have done and for your kindness in taking the will for the deed."
    A burst of cheers greeted the President as he sat down and the whole audience rose to give him one more expression of their esteem.
    Ambassador Domicio da Gama said that he had not found it an easy task to speak with appropriateness on the eve of the retirement of President Taft.
    "The personality of this great man," said Ambassador da Gama, "is so strong in its optimism that I am glad to give this public testimonial that his kindness and sympathy and generosity during his administration has not been lost on the South American republics."
    The Brazilian Ambassador caused no little laughter when he referred to the "charm" of which the President's famous smile has been possessed. The Ambassador took the President's smile as a lesson to humanity and an example of the faithful fulfillment of duty.

Gold Medal Presented.
    When Mr. Choate was presented as the next speaker, he explained that his duty was to "express not in golden words but in solid gold" the feelings of the society toward the retiring President of the United States.
    "I am here for the purpose of delivering to President Taft a medal," said Mr. Choate, "to express the warm and glowing feeling which this company and others throughout the world entertain for the President of the United States because of his efforts on behalf of the movement for world-wide peace."
    Mr. Choate then pinned the gold medal on the breast of the President.
    When the applause subsided Mr. Choate discussed briefly the remarkable progress of the peace movement during the past twenty-five years. He recalled that scarcely a quarter of a century ago the advocates of a world-wide peace movement were the laughing stock and the butt of all kinds of jests. To-day he maintained that they were a great influence not only on the feelings and thoughts of the people but on the legislative and even the judicial departments.
    When Job E. Hedges, Republican candidate for Governor, arose to speak he acknowledged that he felt for the first time, constrained to surrender his title to humor to Mr. Choate and return to the sphere of the "unknowns."
    "To you, Mr. President, and to the exquisite lady who is your helpmeet in the White House we reserve the tribute of unselfish personal love. Whatever we have thought of you, we love you."
    The mention of Mrs. Taft's name was received with enthusiastic applause, led by the women present.