The Worcester spy., 1899-05-14
FEASIBLE ARBITRATION.


proposition for international arbitra-
ton, is the most practical sugges-
ton that has been made in regard to
the business of that body. 1t may be
truthfully described as practical be-
cause arbitration has been the resort
of England and the United States in
matters sufficiently serious to serve as
a casus belli. other nations have imi-
tated this example, and the principle
might be made applicable to disputes
of minor magnitude between all ma
tions, even if all are not ready to go
so far in this reform as the two English
speaking peoples have gone.
There may be no sanguine hope that
even this limited application of arbitra-
ton will be adopted by the congress,
nevertheless. 1t may be conceded that
civilization has not yet advanced SO
far that all matters of international
disagreement can be submitted to the
arbitrament of reason. Even the civil
law admits the right of self-defence.
To make an extreme hypothesis, the
United States would hardly consent to
arbitrate the claim of any other ma
ton to sovereignty over the state of
Maine. But leaving out of considera-
tion acts of direct aggression, matters
of high national honor, so called and
other possible questions of supreme
consequence, there still remain many
international differences that might be
profitably submitted to arbitration The
great bulk of subjects that continually
vernments and excite needless preju-
dice and irritation between respective
peoples are in the estimation of the
most militant governments too trivial
to go to war about. War is an ex-
tremely expensive enterprise, nova
days, and no nation unless bereft of its
senses, will engage in it until it is as
sured that the cost of victory will not
be greater than the fruits to be enjoy
ed.
This is a perfectly well understood
maxim of modern international inter
course. Europe has become so far re-
publicanized or commercialized that
the whim of a monarch no longer
counts for more than dollars and cents,
let alone human lives. There are
countless disagreements between one
nation and another that have been al
lowed to drag along, some half settled,
others not settled at all, that it would
be vastly to the advantage of both par
ties to have finally determined, and
that might be determined were there
any tribunal to which to refer them
or any recognized method of settle
ment. The interminable wrangle be-
tween France and England concerning
| Newfoundland, certain annoyances af-
fecting Austria and Italy, and some of
the issues pending between the United
States and Canada might be classed in
this category Even such a scrape as
we are now in with England and Ger
many, regarding Samoa, might perhaps
be adjusted by arbitration. The whole
group of islands would not be consid-
cred worth a war by any one of the
signatory powers. There have been a
score of international differences since
the Franco-Prussian war which would
have provoked armed conflict century
ago, but which have been settled some
how by the interested parties in a
peaceful manner.
This fact is indisputable testimony to
the progress of reason and the humane
sentiment
Now why not go a step farther and
specifically recognize arbitration as a
principle of international intercourse,
applicable at least to matters that are
not of capital nature? The principle
established by the international postal
agreement, which includes every civil
lied nation of the globe. The principle
of force as a support to International
agreement, which is tantampunt to in
ternational law, has been established
in Europe by successive instances of
concerted action, as for example when
Russia was compelled to relinquish at
Berlin what she had stipulated for at
San Stefano, after the war with Tur-
key Law must have force behind it if
it is to be effective, but the great pow
ers can supply that force. They can
enforce anything they can agree to.
A war based on such a frivolous pre-
text as sufficed for the Franco-Prus-
sian war should never again be allowed
in Europe To guard against trouble
of this kind, the various continental
governments have fortified themselves
with alliances. and then turned around
and made secret treaties with other
nations against their allies. as was
clearly shown by Bismarck.
/ Why may not a perfectly valid. prac-
tical and sensible argument be made
in favor of a system Of arbitration that
shall adjudicate all disagreements.
save what may be called capital causes?
An immense amount of irritation might
thus be1Ut oided, the much vaunted
point Of national honor which is so
often a misnomer and a stumbling
block. would be conserved, and a valu-
able precedent established. There is no
sane reason why ninety-nine out OF a
hundred international disputes should
not be settled by reason and argument
as easily as were the differences in nos
tai rates and regulations