The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-21
GREAT WORK WAS
VERY WELL BEGUN
AMBASSADOR WHITE WRITES
ABOUT PEACE CONFERENCE!
The World Now Has Workable
Plan Of Arbitration--Chances of
War Are Diminished-A Great
Point Gained-Work That Will Be
Judged by History.

Hamburg. Aug. 20.--At the request OF
the correspondent here OF the Associ-
ated Press, Andrew d. White, United
States ambassador to Germany, who
was president of the American Peace
commission at The Hague, has written
the following in regard to the result OF
The Hague conference:
In my opinion great good was ac-
complished-far more, in fact, than any
of us dared expect or even hope when
we came together.
As to disarmament, everybody really
thinking upon the subject must see
that a good system of arbitration must
come first. and that then, when arbi-
tration has diminished the likelihood of
war, the argument for cutting down
forces and armaments is greatly
strengthened. The logical order then
is, first, arbitration and, next, disarma-
ment.
AS to the plan of arbitration, any
compulsory system is at present utterly
out of the question. There are so
many international differences involv-
ity. and even national existence, and
the difficulty of drawing line between
these and questions which may prop
erly be arbitrated is so insurmount-
able, that there is not nation on the
face Of the earth willing to risk an
obligatory system. Far better, then,
than any compulsory arbitration, which
probably, even if It had been adopted
oF bn
ers would have finally ratified, is a
thoroughly good system of voluntary
arbitration, recourse to which public
opinion will enforce more and more,
and this earnestly believe that the
conference has presented to the world.
Some lof the features in the plan
adopted were due to the United States,
some to Great Britain, some to Russia,
some to various other powers; and, in
my judgment, the plan thus adopted is
far more valuable than any scheme
presented by any one Of the powers at
the beginning. The present plan is the
result of most careful thought by the
foremost international lawyers, states
men and diplomatists of Europe, to
say nothing of other parts of the world.
They gave their whole souls to it; their
pride was involved in it. and it will,
believe, be found to work satisfactor-
lily.
Point Gained.
The great point gained is that where
as formerly an arbitration court could
only be provided after long cores
pondence between cabinets and nego-
tations between ministers and debates
in parliamentary bodies, and hunting
for proper judges and discussions as
TO procedure and thousand other de-
lays, just when time was most precious.
the conference has given to the world
an arbitration tribunal as an actual
and permanent institution, with judges,
procedure. officers of the court, place
of meeting and accessories all provid-
ed.
1t has added as subsidiary to it's main
feature carefully systemized plans of
mediation, both general and special,
which are likely in many cases to
prove exceedingly valuable in prevent
ing nations from drifting into war
1t has also provided a system of
commissions Of inquiry, by which the
real questions and grievances at issue
can be ascertainod and brought out
TO be cody considered, instead of the
wild charges, counter charges, calum-
mics, sensational reports and rumors
which have hitherto done so much to
hurry people into war.
We may fairly hope that as time
goes on q report to the tribunal now
created will become more and more
usual and natural. and that the pres
sure of public opinion in all cases where
questions Mt issue can possibly be set
tied will be far more effective than
any attempt at compulsory resort to
a high international court.
This is certainly a great gain. and,
as has been very Justly observed in a
very remarkable and thoughtful recent
article in the "Norddcutsch Ailgemeine
Ieitung," the conference deserves cred
It for not attempting to go further.
To have done so would have provoked
resistance and reaction. which would
have left the possibilities of war more
serious even than they have been
hitherto.
Good Results.
But even without an arbitration plan
the result would have fully justified
our two months work. The extension
Of the Geneva rules TO maritime war
fare. with the improvement and es-
tablishment Of the best system possible
at present % the laws and customs of
war, would ~ itself be sufficient re-
suit
With arbitration added to this. feel
that the world win be satisfied in time
that we have made a good BEGINNING
valuable indeed at the outset. but like
ly 10 grow more and more valuable as
time goes on.
As TO gradual disarmament, that will
come later. OF course the people who
insist on having fruit on the day the
tree is planted will sneer at our work
but history will, believe, judge il
differently