The evening times., 1899-07-08


bushed enemy can be accomplished in time
to save life and preserve the morale of
! the ranks in skirmish line.
| Arbitration That Does Not Arbitrate.
The mountain has labored at The Hague
and brought forth mouse. The draft of
the proposed international arbitration
| treaty contains form of arbitration which
will not arbitrate. 1t is one of those
harmless instruments to which no civilized
/ nation can refuse to subscribe, and yet
subscription to which represents nothing
OF sound sense or binding obligation. 1t
provides no better means for settling dis
putes between nations than already exists
! in the enlightened sentiment of the age.
The only possible advantage ii offers is an
organized body with a habitat to which
the signatory nations can apply in the
| event of threatened war. Exactly the
same form of arbitration is resorted to now
when disputed questions arise between ma
tions. We cannot recall modern instance
| of threatened war when one or more neu-
trail nations did not promptly rush forward
and eagerly proffer their good offices" to
| the disputants in behalf of a peaceable set
| tlement. Nor can We recall an instance in
which such proffer prevented resort to
arms when the disputants were provoked
to the point of war.
Observe this, which is the language of
the fifth article of the instrument drawn
up al The Hague: The functions of me-
diator cease from the moment il may be
stated by one of the contending parties or
by the mediator himself that the compro
mise or basis of an amicable understand
ing proposed by him has not been accept
ed" And this. which is the sixth article:
Good Offices and mediation have the ex
elusive character of counsel and are de-
void of obligatory force" There is some
force and practical sense in the first part
Of the seventh article, which, however, is
nulliied by the weakness and nonsense of
the latter part. Article reads: THE
acceptance of mediation, unless otherwise
stipulated, may have the effect OF inter
rupting the obligation of preparing for
war. If the acceptance supervenes after
the opening of hostilties it shall rot in
terrupt, unless by convention of a con-
trary tenor. military operations that may
be proceeding"
These articles contain the meat of the
instrument. There is nothing in the docu-
ment which advances the dreamer's cause
, Of universal peace one inch. OF course,
the poetical eye may be able TO discern in
it beauties which are hidden to the du
vision Of the workaday man. But poesy,
, has as much cause for rapture in the call
, of the Conference by the worlds greatest
autocrat and in the ready responses TO the
call as in the net results of the labor ol
| the confreres.
Thus far the only practical propositions
advanced for the amelioration of the Sc
veIi.ies of WARRIOR the confinement of con-
ern enlightenment-have come from the
American delegates. Ambassador Whites
proposal for the protection of private prop
erty at sea was along this line. Great
| Britain, Russia, and France not only unit,
ed in the decisive declaration that thi:
proposition did not come within the sCop'
of the Conference, hSt also voted. with {
reservation, for its consideration at spe
| cial conference 10 be hereafter called
| When We consider this action in connec
tion with the weak and watery instrumen
which the Conference has drafted the con
viction is forced upon the American mine
that the meeting now in progress at TIL,
: Hague is not so seriously concerned abou
: devising a scheme for the preservation o
the worlds peace and the abolition of in
ternational war as ii is about uncoyerini
r the intents and policies of the rival Euro
! pean powers in the matter of the acqui
sition of territory in Asia and Africa. No
until Russia ceases TO infringe upon Grea
: Britain in India and to pursue her wantol
: policy of aggression in China; not init
France and Germany become reconciled t
present continental conditions, can we hop
to realize any practical good from so-calle
. International Peace Conferences like tha
in progress at The Hague. Meantime tn
: United States is not endangered by Euro
:. pean jealousies and rivalries on the con
!, tinent or in the Orient. Our institution
= can endure present world conditions bet
9 ter than can those of Europe. Our interes
!, in peace proposals is altruistic. The in
terest of Europe in peace proposals, q
shown by developments at The Hague
r. is political.