The record-union., 1899-03-24
INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION
WILL BE THE CHIEF SUBJECT
DISCUSSED
BY the American Delegates at the
Coming Disarmament
Conference.

NEW YORK. March 23.-A dispatch
to the Herald" from Washington says:
There is reason to believe that an i'm
portant proposition looking to the set
Element of international disputes by ar
bitration will be advanced at the COM
ing disarmament conference by the
American delegates.
1t is learned on high authority that
the credentials for and instructions to
the American delegates are now being
prepared by Secretary Hay, and will be
ready for submission to the President
for his approval when he returns to
Washington from his Southern trip.
These instructions will be complete
exposition of the position Of this Gov
eminent on the question or olsarIiia-
ment and arbitration.
Sir Julian Pauncefote has been al
vised of his appointment as senior
member of the British Legation.
The British Minister to The Hague
will also be a member M. De Staed. the
Russian ambassador to Great Britain,
and leading representative of the Gear
at the conference, will be assisted by
Professor Martens, Professor of Inter
national Law in the University at St.
sian Minister to The Hague.
Following the policy which 1t seems
likely all the nations will adopt Presi-
dent Mckinley will accredit the Minis
ter to the Netherlands as one of the
American delegates, ambassadors
White and Tower will probably be tie
other members of the American delega-
ton.
1oi, cd Nv Q
knowledge of the present program CT
the Russian Government that upon the
assemblage of the delegates commit
tee will be appointed to determine the
subjects to come before the conference
and the order in which they snail De
considered.
So far as the proposition for gen
eral disarmament of the nations OF the
world is concerned, it Will be the duly
of the American delegates to explain
and to show that the United states
from naval and military standpoint,
is far below the armament II snouiu
have, and, besides, it was explained 70
your correspondent that this Govern
.ment does not intend to hamper in any
way the inventive faculty of the people
of the country.
Nor is IL expected tudl 1lche DAieS-A'-
will do So In fact, the most important
result which the officials expect OF The
conference will be the adoption OF some
plan for the reference of disputes 70
general arbitration, and the Umten
States will have a plan OF TINS CHAR
acter as well as other nations.
The Administration is strongly IN Ia
vor of arbitration as the means LOT the
settlement of disputes between nations
and while it appreciates that there are
a number of controversies that can only
be settled by war, it is still belleveo
that many questions which arise ana
are causes of much friction may be ao-
Indicated by arbitration.
The President is committed 10 inter
national arbitration by his inaugural
address and by subsequent declara-
tions but his Administration has noS
atten,pted to negotiate arbitration
treaties. for one reason, because OF the
inminence of war with Spain and the
occurrence of the war. In view Oh the
assembling of the conference at Inc
Hague it is thought by the offlclaiS
that the time has come when the Al
rninistration can put itself on record
before the world as favorlng arpltra-
ton.