The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-10-15
PROGRESS OF ARBITRATION.


Secretary Hays announcement that this gov.
ernment is negotiating arbitration treaties with
various European powers is gratifying from
several points of view; among them from this, that
It shows America is inclined to keep up with the
procession. Credit has generally been given to
this country for starting the arbitration movement
at least for giving it its chief impetus says the
New York Commercial. But good many things
have happened since 1872 Other nations have taken
up the benefeient principle then so notably estab-
hshed, and, while no other nation has probably so
often or so effectively made appeal to arbitration
m special cases as the United States, at least one
ether has shown tendency to surpass us in the
extent of its permanent arrangements for arbitration
We refer, of course, to the United Kingdom which
has recently made permanent arbitration treaties
with France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden
and Norway 1t may be that America will pres
emily have longer list to its credit. If not, it
viii not be the fault of the administration, which
has done and is doing so much for the cause Of In
ternationa peace based upon the only secure foun-
dation Of international justice.
Arbitration is also showing progress in character
as well as in geographical extent. The scope as
well as the number of treaties is increasing There
is marked inclination to include more and more
among the subjects of arbitration. Two nations
Denmark and Norway, have gone to the unprece-
dented length of sweeping away all restriction and
declaring that all disputes between them, no matter
of what character or what they involve, shall be
submitted to arbitration The close relationship be-
tween those countries and their peculiar status
among the powers may make such an arrangement
satisfactory to them. It is doubtful if any other
powers, or, at any rate any of the great powers,
will for many year to come consent to declare all
subjects arbitrable Nevertheless, the progress of
events makes steadily in that direction by remov-
ing from the field of practical or conceivable debate
such subjects as are regarded as unfit for arbitra-
tion. We should not for example, submit to for
tOrial integrity; but every year lessons tie p'ss
bility that such question will ever be raised We
should not submit to an alien tribune question
affecting our national honor But the better es-
tablishment of justice among the nations decreases
the possibility that such question will be raised.
The trend is, therefore, toward the pract:c'l
of non-arbitral questions from the cate
CORY Of questions that are likely to arise, and to
leave practically only such as all are agreed may
properly be submitted to arbitration. The strong
&c {
be quite willing that questions of national integrity
and honor shall be excluded from arbitration, be-
cause they will be questions that never will be
raised 1t would speak poorly for international law
and Justice if it were not making directly toward
that end There, indeed is one great point Of sil-
perior value Of arbitration over war. 1t settles
things war within nation may settle something.
One between two sovereign powers does not The !
very next year war may be started over the very
same issue to undo the effects of the fcrmor one
Just as France began planning Immediately after {
1871 for her "revanche" and for the reversal bf
The verdict Of the Terrible Year" But there is
no such planning to undo the work of arbitration
The verdict Of an arbitral tribune stands 1t sets
precedent by which not only the nations concerned
but others are thereafter guided and which serves
to determine the settlement Of subsequent disputes
1t is in that sense that the progress of arbitration
is most real and most substantial and is most fraught
with the promise of peace and justice for the world
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THE SOUTH AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
The Saturday Evening Post entertains the opin-