Omaha daily bee., 1896-08-30

impressive delivery, but it was also due in
part to his subject, which commanded a
popular interest hardly possible to any other
legal theme. The truth is, the meeting of
the association this year occurred during a
time of a rapidly growing arbitration senti-
ment. Following the visit to our shores of
the Cremer committee from the House of
Common to ask the cooperation of our gov
eminent in a general arbitration treaty
came the action Of the New York State Bar
association, which, through its committee,
petitioned the president in April last to take
steps toward the establishment of a perma-
mont court for the arbitration of differences
between the United States and other sover-
eign nations. Then a few days later in the
same month of April came the celebrated
international arbitration conference at Wash
ington. The Venezuelan controversy, with
its dire possibilities, served to emphasize,
upon a sober second thought, the desira-
bility Of some better method of settlement
than war, and the American Bar. associa-
ton, meeting after all these events, has
fallen into line with the arbitration senti~
ment and advanced 1t.
IMPORTANCE OF RUSSELL'S ADDRESS.
The address of Lord Chief Justice Russell
has already been published in this paper
and its details may be assumed to be IA
miliar. 1t is fortunate for the cause of in
ternational arbitration to have had such an
advocate, not so much on account OF the
intrinsic merit of his address, but because
it came from a successful man of affairs
and the presiding judge Of one of the high
est tribunals in the world. Necessarily a
popular address upon a subject so long and
so often discussed as international arbitra-
tion would contain little that is new. The
evils of war are generally acknowledged
and the speaker widely avoided the danger
by dwelling too long upon this hackneyed
portion of his theme. Nor can the address
BIO said to have dealt eXhaustively with the
history OF international arbitrations or with
attempts TO put theory into practice. The
learned speaker stated that: There have
been, since 1915. some sixty instances OF
effective international arbitration" But a
pamphlet distributed in the hall at the close
of the address contained a list prepared by
Prof. Moore of Columbia university, which
enumerated eighty instances of arbitration
in modern times, and expressly disclaimed
an attempt at completeness; while the news
papers of the last week would have fur
nished two additional instances OF submis-
sion to arbitration, one being the boundary
dispute between Chill and Argentine. re-
Gently submitted to the British crown.
But the Importance of Lord Russells adj
dress did not consist in such details, nor did
il purport 10 be a monograph on arbitration
Its great value lay In its practical character
and its suggestions to the friends OF arbitra-
ton of the real difficulties which they must
~ ~ oiS 49, 20 y " va -s'Nf +N'
Russell, perhaps unconsciously, describes
his own attitude. Speaking of the Inter
Parliamentary Peace Union" organized In
1889, he said: Its members are not vain
idealists. They are men of the world. They
do not claim to be regeneratOrs OF mankind,
nor do they promise the millennium, but they
are doing honest and useful work In making
straighter and less difficult the path OF intel
ligent progress" This was the tone OF the
address throughout. The great lesson sought
to be impressed by it upon the advocates OF
international arbitration was not to expect
success too soon, nor to seek II too gen
orally by sporadic attempts. but rather to
concentrate efforts first upon securing per-
manent peace between the two great English
speaking nations.
ARBITRATION RESOLUTIONS.
The close of Lord Russell's address was an
oppOrtune moment for the presentation OF
the report of the on international
law. The report was read by Everett p.
Wheeler Of the New York City bar and
was quite in line with the address, Its
cautious and yet hopeful tone is illustrated
by the following excerpt:
Civilized nations have united in so many
agreements to facilitate and
seems that they will soon be willing to take
another step In advance. The international
sailing rules, international copyright, trade
marks, the protection of neutrals, the Postal
union, and the privileges conferred upon the
Red Cross society are instances; and may
aptly be followed by international arbitra-
ton.
Experience shows that many arbltrations