The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-21

| which was all that our space afforded
room for yesterday. OF the address before
| the American Bar Association OF tho
Right Hon. Lord Russell OF Killowen,
Lord Chief Justice OF England, readers
must have been impressed with its sub
stantial character, and Its importance as
a contribution 10 the literature of the
law.
TO the general reader the subject was,
perhaps, disappointing. 1t mad been
announced on the program that Lord
Russell was to address the association on
international arbitration and, according
TO report, he was introduced by the
chairman to speak on that subject. But
what his address was devoted to was
international law, and that was the
theme that the distinguished speaker
dress. The paper thus became OF more
immediate interest TO the legal fraternity
than TO citizens generally, although we
are not infrequently afforded episodes
that make it desirable that every intelll-
gent citizen should have for his own sat-
isfaction, If for no necessary purpose, q
general idea of the scope and purpose OF
law as it exists by mutual agreement be-
tween civilized nations--orten only q
confused "bundle of rules" to be sure,
but yet remarkably binding considering
how lacking in specifications interna-
tional law is.
AS a detail OF his general subject, how
ever, Lord RUSSELL was perhaps inevita-
bly, moved TO consider international arbi-
tration, matter that must have interna-
tional law for its foundation and which
may in future serve to develop and make
more precise the rules and usages that
go to make such law binding upon ma
tions in their dealings one with the 9TH
er. The scholarly and experienced jurist
reviewed the various steps that have been
taken by the representative bodies OF sew
eral nations looking TO international
arbitration and the practice OF such
arbitration in specific cases. The "Per-
manent Parliamentary Committee
in favor of Arbitration and Peace"
or as Ii is sometimes called the "In-
ter-Parliamentary Union" is an
established fact of today. 1t is a
permanent organization whose members
are not vain idealists and its head office
is at Berne. The Congress of the u nited
States; the British House OF Commons,
the parliaments Of Denmark, Norway
and Switzerland and the French Chamber
of Deputies have since 1890 given formal
expression OF their desire and willingness
to enter upon negotiations looking to
the peaceable adjustment by diplomatic
agency of differences or dispute. The
Pan-American Congress Of 1890 was di-
rected 10 the same object, ana as Lord
RUSSELL declared '"it Is obvious that the
sentiment for peace and in favor of arbi-
tration as the alternative for war is grow
ing apace. There have actually been,
indeed, before this general movement no
less than sixty instances of effective
International arbitration, to thirty-two
OF which the United States have been
party and Great Britain to some twenty
OF them, and there are instances also of
the introduction OF arbitration clauses
into treaties-the United States again
appearing in the van.
Lord RUSSELL, however, Is naturally far
from being convinced that the millennium
OF peace has yet arrived and, indeed, he
holds that there may even be greater
calamlties than war-"the dishonor OF
a nation, the triumph OF an unrighteous
cause, the perpetuation OF hopeless and
debasing tyranny" Anc he warns oil
who are friends OF peace aud advocates OF
arbitration TO frankly recognize the
difficulties Of the question, TO examine
and meet these difficulties, and to dis
criminate between the cases in which
friendly arbitration is, and in which it
may not be, practically, possible" And.
pursuing this line OF thought, he is
brought back again 10 tho snort. comings
of international law. as they uemon-
strate the grave di fficulties OF the posi-
tion. lie points out and finely Illus
trates that the analogy between Grbitra-
tion as TO matters In al terence between
individuals and between nations goes
hut n short wav because I'm ,rf.