The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-15
Commission to Arbitrate Hene-
Zuelan Controversy
Holds First Formal Session In
French Capital.
JUSTICE ID. j. BREWER
And Chief Justice Fuller Mem
bers of the Court.
Ex-President Benjamin Harri-
son One of the Attorneys.

Paris, June 15.@The first formal
meeting of the Venezuela arbitration
commission opened this morning. The
weather was cool and the sky was
clOuded
The arbitrators, counsel and others
began assembling in the foreign Office
shortly before eleven. They were re-
ceived by the foreign minister, NJ
Delcasse in the apartment in which the
tribunal Will sit.
These are the rooms used at the
meeting of the Spanish-American peace
conference and during the Bering sea
arbitration.
The main room is an obIong chamber
Iuxuriously decorated. having rich
mouldings on the walls and ceilings
and heavy gilt OrnamentauonS renewed
by frescOes in light tones The ceiling
is light blue and in ats center are mag
nificent gilt chandeliers. on raised
dais at the end of the room, facing the
entrance, are five massive gilt arm
chairs for the arbitrators with a table
in front of them. Below the dais are
half dozen long tables, placed across
the room. for counsel and the clerical
staff All the furniture is upholstered
in bright red with gilt frames. A large
cOlOred map of the disputed territory
hangs on the wall to the right of the
arbitrators with a smaller may of the
whole of South America beside it.
Altogether there were about 40 per-
sons connected with the tribunal pres
ent The arbitrators and most of their
StaffS were dressed in frock coats.
There were less than dozen specta-
tors in the portion of the apartment
roped off for the general public and
half a dozen ladies. including Mrs Ben
5amin Harrison and others belonging to
the American party.
The arbitrators took their seats soon
after IL o'clock. Chief Justice Melville
E Fuller and Sir Richard Penn Col
Inns, lord justice of appeals sitting on
the right of Prof. De Martens. the UNI
pire, and Baron Russell of Killowen.
lord chief justice of England, and JUS
tive David ]. Brewer sitting at his left
hand Former Pesident Benjamin Har-
risOn and Gen Benjamin F. Tracy and
the remainder of the Americans sat at
the tables at the left side of the room
facing the court and the other British
representatives were seated at tables
on the right side. A feature of the pro-
ceedings was that counsel used the
desk which served during the Bering
sea tribunal deliberations.
The proceedings opened at 11:20,w
NJ. DelcaSSe briefly addressed the tri-
bunal in French.
The foreign minister in welcoming
the arbitratOrS said it gave him spec
faI pleasure to welcome the high com
mission in behalf of the government of
the republic. which he added was great
1y pleased at the fact that Paris had
been chosen for the sitting of the tribu-
nal among whom he saw such eminent
men. some of whom had occupied with
distinction the highest positions. Under
the presidency of NJ. De Martens, who
was universally acknowledged as an
authority on International law. he con-
tinued their labors could only result
happily in the interests of the dispute
and in the interests of humanity; for it
would constitute another step towards
the realization of the noble project
which launched from illustrious
throne, was making rapid way into the
hearts and conSciences of the people
nd iU0nRSa6 ion
lar force on the sOlicitude of those who
govern them.
NJ. Delcasse concluded with thank
ing the arbitratOrs for having accepted
the hospitality of France.
Prof Martens replied, thanking the
French foreign minister for his welcome
and for the hospitality extended to the
arbitrators- The speaker recalled the
fact that he came here seven years ago
TO attend the Bering sea arbitration.
Referring to the work being done at
The Hague in the matter of arbitration
he said the peace conference sought not
merely to arrange a settlement of con-
f1icts but the avoidance of conflicts and
expressed the hope that the present
tribunal would have the result of pro-
noting the welfare and prosperity of
the two countries interested. The pro-
fesSor announced the rules of procedure
agreed upon at yesterdays conference
and said the arbitrators would meet
every day excepting Sundays.
Sir Richard Webster thereupOn arose
and said that in order to meet the views
Of Former President Harrison and the
other American counsel, in which the
English representative concurred he
proposed that they only meet four days
an the week in view of the extremely
heavy work before them.
Mr.. Harrison said he thought there
would be in four days work enough for
ordinary men. and he evoked a general
smile as, looking around a the gather
ing of the most eminent jurists of Great
Britain, he added: And we are all or
binary men,"
would be a tremendous strain upon the
counsel.
President De Martens thereupon
agreed that four days meeting per
week would be sufficient, arranging that
the arbitratOrs would not meet upon
Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays.
Sir Richard Webster asked: ''As the
learned Prof. Martens is going back to
The Hague tonight, what days does he
propose to give US next week?"
The professor replied that he hoped
to give them two days during the lat
ter half of next week and that he
would write from The Hague on SIM
day, fixing the day of his arrival.
After this Sir Richard Webster an
nounced that counsel had arranged he
should speak first, then two Venezue-
Ian counsel, next Great Britain with
possibly two counsel. then Venezuela
and next Great Britain The 6naI
speech was to be made by Venezuela.
Sir Richard then opened the British
case and spoke until lis p. m, when
the commission adjourned for luncheon
Sir Richard occupied the remainder
of the day in an explanation with the
aid of the map on the wall of the
and concluded the opening stage of his