New-York tribune., 1903-05-04
AN ARBITRATION TREATY
Proposed by French Deputies Be.
tzCeen United States and France

Paris. April 2
The French Chamber Of Deputies has g.
hold OF the idea Of international arbstratto, -
the basis adopted by The Hague tribunal -
sober earnest. The parliamentary group =.
"Arbitrage International" now Comprises -
hundred Deputies. including Representatives, -
every political party. ranging from Prine.
d'Alsace d'Henin. Deputy Of the voszes. to ~.
Citizen Sembat. Socialist Deputy Of Paris tn.
newly formed arbitration group. under the urs.s
dency Of Baron d'Estournsllss de Constant bs.
become practical working factor IA all ques
tions Of foreign affairs. and IL ever The Hazus
tribunal IS 70 fulfil the hopes OF its friends sre,
a result Will be largely due to the persistent ac
tivity shown every occasion by these two
hundred French Deputies. who have undertaken
the propaganda OF arbitration with Something
of the fire and energy Of the old Crusaders
1t IS open secret that President Loubet is
a firm believer in the success OF the idea o..
international arbitration, and the third per-
sonage In the hierarchy OF the republic NJ
Emile Bourgeois. president OF the Ch nber OF
Deputies ex-Priule Minister and ex-1finister CT
Foreign Affairs is the senior French delegat. OF
the permanent arbitration court OF The Hague.
the other French members being Baron d'Es-
tourneIles de Constant. ". de LabouIaye and VI.
Louis RenauIt, Minister PIenipotentiary. pro-
fessor Of international law at the Faculty &C
eigu Affairs France has taken hold OF Ths
Hague arbitration idea with a hrrn intention to
carry it to logical conclusions. The arbitration
group meets twice a month. One OF the results
Of its deliberations IS that a treaty Of arbitra-
ton between France and Great Britain has al
ready beer proposed and discussed both IN
France and in Great Britain. II is found that
public opinion in France is distinctly favorabls
to such a treaty which also has been CON-
Ia
burgh and Dundee.
Frenchmen of all Classes and political parties
manifest increasing interest in the subject. ard
French pride Is flattered by the fact that it was
owing to the French delegates that Article
XVII was embodied in The Hague Convention.
which prevents the conclusions Of the treaty
from becoming dead letter Il - Article
XVII which provides that "the powers con-
slider II to be their duty IN the case Of a threat
ened conflict arising between two or more
among them, TO remind such powers that the
permanent tribunal OF The Hague is open To
them" In this way the two more would-ee
beIigerent nations instead OF having TO ask for
arbitration will be obliged 10 refuse TO submit
to it. which is putting the matter far more I'm
peratively. because, say these propagandlsts, 10
decline 10 submit to arbitration would be prirna
facIe evidence of bad cause
The position taken by the Influential group Of
two hundred French Deputies ts regarded as
businesslike and practical Baron GEstournei-
les de Constant, addressing the French Chamber
recently, stated that universal peace and stimuli
taneous disarmament would forever remain
dreams unless science. by practical logical
methods. could apply itself to discovering and
determining formula by means Of which these
aims may be realized Baron d'EstourneIles ac-
rnits that It IS idle to talk at present OF dis
armament, which is the last stage Of pacific evO-
luton; consequently, the French arbitration
party has decided to prepare public opinion az
home and abroad for their humanitarian mis-
sion, which is to extend to the relations between
nation and nation the progress OF arbitration
which gradually grew up between man and
man. then between commune and commune,
then between province and province. forming
mart Of the same country The arbitration
group has drawn up list OF all the countries
with which France could without Inconvenience
enter into special treaties rendering aroitra-
ton obligatory in accordance with Article XIX
of The Hague Convention. signed and ratified BY
the twenty-six signatory rowers-
For instance Il is already proposed that spe-
cial and separate arbitration treaties be con-
cIuded between France and the United States'
Great Britain, Germany. Russia. Austria Hun
gary Italy, Spain and a dozen other powers.
The French parliamentary group is also in ac-
tive communication with foreign countries and
with analogous groups belonging TO the legis-
lative assemblies of other nations The action
of the French arbitration group has the strong
moral support Of President Loubet- It Is the
work CT the broadest and foremost public men
in France whose ambition is that the French
idea Of international duty-of the creation OF
sort Of international conscience, as il weTe-wh
obtain the sanction Of all civilized nations The
first appeals made by the French arbitration
Sa f0 United
States and to Great Britain and they CONS IN
the practical shape of proposals for separate
and special treaties making arbitration In cases
of dispute not only optional. but obligatory
c. l. 3.