Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-06-15
A COURT OF NATIONS.
A HIGH COURT OF LAST RESORT TO
DETERMINE DISPUTES.
How international Differences Might Be
Adjusted II the Rulers Did Not Prefer
Grim and Destructive War to Peace.
Arbitration In Rig Affairs.

How International Differences Might Be
Adjusted n the Rulers Did Not Prefer
Grim and Destructive War to Peace.
Arbitration In Mig Affairs.
There is great deal q carelessness in
certain popular demands for referring
questions between nations to arbitration.
We all know what arbitration is in busi-
. ness. 1t Is very convenient wy of ad-
Justing certain questions which arise be-
tween two friends, each of whom wants
to do what is right, but who take differ
ent points of view of the same subject,
Zach of them chooses a man." as the
old New England phrase has it. These
two men" choose third man. All
parties meet together and talk over tho
matter, and the court thus made decides.
But for practical purposes we do not
compel every person who has question
arising with another person to create a
court which is to try that question If q
policeman catches plckpocket in the
street, he does not appoint one person to
try the pickpocket and ask the pickpocket
to appoint another. while these two shall
appoint third. II Mr. Cheeryble in
London is not satisfied with the account
which Mr. Goodchild in Kansas City
sends him, if Mr. Goodchild cannot make
Mr.. Cheeryble understand that account.
they do not appoint court which shall
determine how much is due and how
much is not due. There is court ex-
isting 10 which that question can be re-
ferred and there are processes perfectly
understood by which that court can de
eide it.
This is fair enough illustration Of the
necessity which now exists that the great
nations Of the world shall have a perma-
nent tribunal. before which shall DO
brought the important questions which
must arlse IN the affairs of nations with
each other 1t il to be a permanent tri-
bunal. There is not to be one tribunal
about seals and another tribunal about
boundaries and another about extradi-
uon. There is TO 10 n tribunal which
shall gradually gain the confidence Of
the whole world, and which shall decide
these questions which have been left
hitherto to vague public opinion and 10
what Is called the arbitration of war.
Clearly we are approaching nearer and
nearer the creation of such "a tribunal.
he greatest success was achieved
when il 1859 10 different nations. here
a the coast 4 the Atlantic. united tu
gether and established the supreme court
Of the nitesl States The thing has
worked - perfectly and simply ever
since that we have many readers TO
bttf lfu hat -.
were might have been wars between
Massachusetts and New York, or war
between Missouri and Iowa, as bitter
aud severe n half the wars Of tho middle
ages in Europe WERE There might have
been such wars II it had not been that
the supreme court Of the United State
has determined at least hundred cues
tons arising between different proud and
independent states and has so deter
mined them that each Of the states has
acquiesce,l iii the decision. NAY. it la,
50 determined them that half the citizens
of those states ill not know that any
such questions existed. Between nv own
state Of Massachusetts and the state Of
Rhode Island there was question about
boundaries some 30 or 30 years ago which
was more important than many Of the
questions which have thrown European
states into WAT with each other. The SUI.
IRENE court of the United States deter
mined the question. and do not believe
that half the people now living in Mas
sachusetts who were living then ever
knew that there was any such question
at issue.
The SIX great powers Of the world are
the powers who should agree on such a
high court Of judicature to exist a. =.
permanent tribunal. II would be easy
To arrange some system by which lis
judges should be appointed. Perhaps
good system would be such as Is indi-
Gated in the custom which has been
spoken Of above. Each Of the six nations
might name one of these judges. and the
six judges might nominate six other
judges, to he approved by majority cf
the high powers forming the court.
At first the new court would have
nothing to do Every body would be Sly
Of il, but il would exist. 1t would CON
sist Of men of the very highest rank who
had distinguished themselves before the
world by thelr equity and wisdom.
At first the court would meet simply
for its own organization and to await
the reference TO it Of questions arising
between great nations. In this period of
leisure these lurists might well be en-
gagged in digesting the international law
Of the world as it exists now and pub
fishing from time to time their digest.
They might determine certain principles
on which they would rely in the judg-
ments which should eventually be
brought before them. Before long, how
ever, some real question would be sub
mitted to them. There would arise a
question whether the San Carlos river
was dirty brook running from the
northwest to the southeast, or another
dirty brook running from the southwest
to the northeast. AS things stand now.
two armies have to be called out to fight
about the proper definition of some old
treaty, and thousand good fellows have
to be killed before we can determine
which Of two dirty brooks is the san
Carlos.-Edward Everett Hale in New
York Recorder