Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/223

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT 183 ington to say that the Diaz government was probably doomed, and that something might hap pen at any moment to embroil the two countries. Congress was out of session, the secretary of state was absent, and President Taft was thrown upon his own resources. Instantly, as commander-in- chief of the army, he ordered 15,000 troops to the southern frontier, at the same time notifying the Mexican government that the act had no purpose of intervention behind it, and admonishing the American officers to guard carefully the conduct of their men. By its moral effect the demonstra tion saved the situation, and probably averted a collision which a suspicion of hesitancy could easily have brought about. As an advocate of universal peace, Mr. Taft had arbitration treaties negotiated with England and France as models for a series which should embrace all the leading powers. The senate, however, re fused to consent to their ratification unless they could be amended in sundry particulars which, in the president s view, would so mar their value that he was unwilling to lay the proposal before the governments concerned. One point raised was as to the scope which should be allowed to inter national arbitration, and a matter which came up during the last months of the administration illus trated the difficulty of deciding such a question to the satisfaction of everyone. Legislation enacted