The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-08

force for the collection of the claims alleged to be due to certain of their citi- zens.
 Claims Submitted to The Hague.
 A demand was then made by the so- called blockading powers that the sums ascertained to be due to their citizens by such mixed commissions should be accor- ded payment in full before anything was paid upon any of the so-calied peace powers. Venezuela, on the other hand, insisted that all her creditors should be paid upon basis of exact equality. Dur ing the efforts to adjust this dispute 1t was suggested by the powers in interest that it should be referred to me for de- cision, but l was clearly of the opinion that far wiser course should be te sub- init the question to the prominent court of arbitration at The Hague. It seemed to me to offer an admirable opportunity to advance the practice of the peaceful settlement of disputes between nations and to secure for the Hague tribunal a memorable increase of it's practical im- portance. The nations interested in the controversy were so numerous and in many instances so powerful as to make 1t evident that beneficent results would follow from their appearance at the same time before the bar of that august tribu- nal of peace.
 Our hopes in that regard have been realized. Russia and Austria are repre- scented in the persons of the learned and distinguished jurists who composed the tribunal, while Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Italy. Belgium, the Nath- erands. Sweden and Norway, Mexico, the United States. and Venezuela are repre- sented by their respective agents and af nations presenting their arguments to and invoking the decision of that high court of International justice and international peace can hardly fail to secure a like sub mission of many future controversies. The nations now appearing there VIII find it far easier to appear there second time, while no nation can imagine It's just pride will be lessened by following the example now presented. This tri- umph of the principal of international arbitration is a subject of warm con graduation and offers happy augury for the peace of the world.
 International Arbitration
 There seems good ground for the be- lief that there has been a real growth among the civilized nations of sentiment which will permit a gradual substitution Of other methods that the method of war in the settlement of disputes It Is not pretended that as yet we are near po- stion in which it will be possible wholly to prevent war or that a just regard for national interest and honor will in all cases permit of the settlement of internat- ional disputes by arbitration; but by a mixture of prudence and 1rmness with wisdom we think it is possible to do away with much of the provocation and ex- rx.. f., to substitute some other and more ration al method for the settlement of disputes The Hague court offers so good an exam pie of what can be done in the direction of such settlement that it should be en- couraged in every way
 Further steps should be taken. In President McKinley's annual message Of December ,. 1898, he made the following recommendation.
 Exemption of Property From Capture. '-The experiences of the last year bring forcibly home to us a sense of the bur dens and the waste of war. We desire, in common with most civilized nations, to reduce to the lowest possible point the damage sustained in time of war by peaceable trade and commerce. It is true we may suffer in such cases less tSa~ other communities, but all nations
 imaged more or less by the state
 neasiness and apprehension into
 an outbreak of hostilitiec throws
 tire commercial world. It should be
 1ject. therefore, to minimize, so far
 acticable, this inevitable loss and
 bance. This purpose can probably
 pc accomplished by an international
 ment to regard all private property
 as exempt from capture or de-
 ton by the forces of belligerant
 rs The United States government
 Tor many years advocated this hu-