Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-06-04

new mixed commission. The year
has been most fruitful in the decision
Of cases referred to arbitration before
The Hague court was set up. The
most important OF these cases are:
The long standing boundary disputes
between Chill and the Argentine Re
public, involving an area of $4,000
tsQuare miles.
The controversy between the United
States and Russia over the seizure of
American sealing vessels in Bering
sea.
The Samoan claims question be-
tween the United States, Great Britain
and Germany and citizens of those
countries.
Two controversies between Great
Britain and France-the WANNA" at
fair and the ''Sergent malaine" dis
pute.
The Ell Triunfo case between the
United States and Salvador out Of the
decision of which has grown great dis
satisfaction on the part of the latter
company.
! 1t is not possible to give any very
definite information as to the progress
made in the ratification of the arbitra-
ton conventions drawn at the inter
national American conference held
something over year ago at Mexico
City. Very little seems to have been
done in this direction, due in large
measure to the disturbed conditions in
parts of South America and in part
also to the fact that time is always re-
quired for the completion OF such con-
IventiOns when a large group of nations
lis involved. The delay must not how
ever, be interpreted to mean that the
protocols, at least the most important
Ones-that Of adhesion to The Hague
cOnventiOns-WiII not ultimately be
ratified. We may reasonably expect
that in the near future the ratification
! of these conventions will be carried
out by the governments whose repre-
| sentatives signed them at Mexico City.
Turning to the general arbitration
movement, a good deal of valuable
work has been done within the last
twelve months. All the arbitration
land peace societies have kept promi-
Inently before their constituency and
the general public so far as possible
the great importance of bringing The
Hague court into general use, as near
ly as practicable for all cases of in
lternatiOnal disagreement, and OF in
ducing the various governments to
enter into special treaties by which
they shall obligate themselves to re-
fer their differences to The Hague.
The national groups of the Interparlia-
mentary Peace Union in Europe have
also been active. and effort in the same
direction has been put forth by many
other organizations and by prominent
individuals in this and other countries.
A strong movement has also been
going on in France and England
among commercial bodies in the large
cities in favor Of an Ang1o-French ar
bitration treaty. This movement. valu-
able as it is, is not receiving the sup
port of many leading friends of arbi-
tratiOn as its principal movers are also
pleading for special Anglo-French
tribunal with only English men and
Frenchmen as judges. This sort of
tribunal is earnestly opposed by many
in both countries, as needless and a
great weakening of the value aud pres
tige of The Hague tribunal.
A recent movement has also taken
place in the French chamber of depu-
ties. A number of the leading mem
bers of the chamber under the initia-
tive of Mr. d'Estaurnellez de Constant
who represented France at The Hague
conference is now a member of The
Hague court, have formed themselves
into an association to be called the i'll
ternationa1 arbitration group The re-
markable strength of arbitration in
the French parliament is shown by the
fact that nearly two hundred members
have connected themselves with this
association. The sole purpose of the
group is to promote international arbl-
tration.
Interesting as all these events are in
themselves, their force and signifi-
without keeping in mind the long
series of influences in the past which
have led up to them and made them
possible. One must recall the famous
rescript of the car Of Russia, the
great popular crusade in western
! Europe and America which followed
it, the work of bar associations and
special conferences, magnificent ser
vices Of the hundred men who gath
cred at The Hague and labored for ten
weeks with great Intelligence, practic-
al wisdom and harmony in drafting
the conventin for the pacific settle
ment of international disputes, the ac-
/ ton of the governments in ratifying
! this convention and their wisdom in
selecting capable men to represent
them in the court. One must recall
also the long list Of araitrations dur
ing the past century, some 200 in
number, in which nearly every con-