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Show TAFT ADVOCATES A YEAR OF TiK Also the Organization of League to Enforce Peace. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. 16. Advocating Ad-vocating at least one year of military training for all males between the ages of 19 and 24 years, and asserting that if a league to enforce peace is formed at the close of the European war, America Amer-ica should join it, former President William Wil-liam H. Taft' addressed the state legislature legis-lature in joint session here late today. He urged all true Americans to stand by President Wilson and congress in the crisis. "The Question," said Mr. Taft, "of standing by our country, whethf r right or wrong, has given many people some concern. But there can be no such question ques-tion here. America is right. Our rights as neutrals have been violated. War is a horrible thing, but there are worse things than war. "We should have an army fitting to defend ourselves. You can't recruit an i army at $15 a month. There is only one way. Universal compulsory military mili-tary training grates on our traditions. Yet, when we face the fact of its necessity neces-sity and what it is, there is much to be said for it. "The general staff of the army has fixed one year for youths between the ages of 19 and 24 as" the least length of time that will give them the necessary preparation. This vear will make them better men and will bring to them some sense of obligation to their government. govern-ment. ' ' Mr. Taft quoted Lord Grey as saying say-ing that the present war would be in vain if it did' not end in some league to enforce oeace, and continued: "Ought we join such a league? I think we ought. As a purely selfish proposition we would be safer in it than out' of it. Instead of interfering with the Monroe doctrine it would help it. With such a league we could pi event a small fire from becoming a general . on-flagration. on-flagration. " |