The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-21
OF ARBITRATION
AMBASSADOR WHITES VIEWS ON RE-
SUIT OF PEACE CONFERENCE.
Disarmament a Subject for COnsfdera-
ton After Arbitration Has Been
Generally Effected.
Correspondence Of the Associated Press.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
HOMBURG, Aug. TAT the request Of
the correspondent here of the Associated
Press Andrew d. White. ambassador to
Germany, who was present at the Ameri-
can peace commission at The Hague, has
written the following regarding the result
Of the conferences: I'm my opinion a great
good was accomplished, far more in fact
than any of us dared expect or even hope
when we came together. AS to disarma-
ment, everybody really thinking on the sub
ject must see that a good system of arbi-
tration must come first and that then, when
arbitration has diminished the likelihood Of
war, the argument for cutting down forces
and ornaments is greatly strengthened.
The logical order then is first arbitration
and next disarmament.
LAS to the plan of arbitration, any COM
pulsory system is at present utterly out Oh
the question. There are so many interna-
tional differences involving question of race,
religion, security and even national exis-
tence and the difficulty of drawing a line
between these and questions which may
properly be arbitrated is so unsurmountable
that there is not a nation on the face Of
the earth willing to risk any obligatory
system. Far better, then, than any COM
pulsory arbitration which, probably, even If
it had been adopted by the conference not
one of the powers could have finally rati-
fled, is a thoroughly good system of vol
untary a bitration, recourse to which public
opinion will enforce more and more. and
this I earnestly believe that the conference
has presented to the world.
Some Of the features in the plan adopted
uara dua fa fha ITnifad States soma f0
Great Britain, some to Russia and some
to various other powers. The present plan
is the result of most careful thought by the
foremost international lawyers, statesmen
and diplomatists of Europe, to say nothing
of other parts Of the world. The great
point gained is that whereas ormerly an
arbitration court could only be provided
after long correspondence between cabinets
and negotiations between ministers and a
thousand other delays 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 pro-
vided. 1t has added as subsidiary to its
main feature carefully systematized plans
Of mediation, both general and special.
which are likely in many cases to prove ex-
ceedingly valuable in preventing nations
from drifting into war.
1T has also provided a system Of COM
missions of inquiry by which the real ques-
lions and grievances at issue can be ascer-
tanned and brought out to be coolly con-
sidered. We may fairly hope that, as time
goes on, a resort to the tribunal now cre-
ated will become more and more usual and
natural. and that the pressure of public
opinion in all cases where questions at issue
can possibly be settled will be far more
effective than any attempt at compulsory
resort to a high international court"