The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-06-14
The Rainbow OF Universal Peace.


The Americans at The Hague have
submitted their preliminary plan for
the establishment of permanent tri-
bunal of international arbitration.
Our commissioners and the admins
traLion which sent them are entitled to
congratulations upon the favorable re-
ception of the scheme. lis simplicity,
directness, and promise Of working
efficiency have commended it at once
to all concerned. The propositions adj
vanced by the representatives of sew
ersl other powers, including Great Brit
ain, are obviously inferior; the British
plan, indeed, seems by comparison 30
inchoate that it has been practically
laid side already in favor OF the Ameri-
can scheme. Whatever is accomplish
ed by the Peace Conference in this de-
pariment of mundane amelioration will
have received it's first first impulse, it's
gene al form, and its clearest defini
lion from this side of the Atlantic.
Our commissioners propose that at
least nine of the sovereign powers OF
the earth shall join by treaty in the es-
Enlistment of permanent interna-
tional court to try and decide disputes
likely otherwise to lead to war. The
essential features of this high tribunal
are briefly sketched in the resolutions
submitted on Wednesday.
The nine or more sovereign powers
are each to have one representative up
on the international bench, nominated
by the highest court in each country
and holding office for an indefinite
term. In the case of the Uni ed
S ates for example, the Supreme G ,urt
would select our International judge.
His term would last until the Supreme
Court at Washington deemed it advisa-
BILE, for one reason or another, to su-
persede him by appointing his success
sor.
The organization of the international
tribunal and its rules of procedure are
to be determined by its nine or more
members; and the meeting place is to
vary according to convenience.
The court is TO be always open, not
only to the contracting nations, but al
so to other nations which may desire its
services, although not parties to the
treaty.
Litigants may elect whether to have
their causes adjudged by the full bench
of nine, or by anv smaller number not
TO be borne by the nine or more con-
tracing governments. Outside liti.
giants using the court are to be charged
for the expenses of the cases they
bring. The judges are to draw salaries
only for time when actually engaged in
the duties of the court. Every defeat
ed litigant is to have the right, for
three months after first decision, to
reopen the case on account of newly
discovered evidence or questions of
law not submitted at the previous hear
ing.
That is all the machinery. 1t is sim
pie and effective. We have reserved
to the last the provisions of Article Nv,
which contains the essence of this
proposition:
Any and all questions of disagreement
may, by mutual consent, be submitted by the
nations concerned to this international tri-
bunal for decision, but every such decision
shall be accompanied by an undertaking to
accept the award"
In the words italicized abide the
fatal defects of any scheme, no matter
how ingeniously contrived or elabor
ately decorated with the rainbow hues
of hope, for the preservation of peace
among nations by means of an institu
ton analogous to those upon which
civilization depends for peace and JUS
tice as between individuals.
l. By mutual consent. For the eff
fective settlement of differences one
party to the dispute must be able TO
summon the other before the court and
compel him to abide by it's decision.
2 May be submitted As long as
the word may is the foundation Of
every proposed scheme of intern ational
arbitration, and until the word must
replaces it, 80 long will the exaggerat-
ed hopes of the dreamers of universal
peace through the agency of arbitration
be doomed to disappointment.
II we could conceive the possibility
of general Willingness on the part of
the nations at The Hague to surrender
sovereignty for the sake of universal
peace, and to agree that must should
be put in the proposed convention in
stead of a may, could the decisions and
DEGREES OF this exalted tribunal then be
enforced? Is there any way in which
the formal agreement in advance to
abide by the courts judgment could
be rendered effective, in order that war
might be averted and pacific settle
ment assured?
Yes, there is one way How?
In the answer 10 that How? the
rainbow disappears.
The decisions of the tribunal could
be enforced and the defeated litigant