The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-12
rEA,E AMONG NATIONS

T.
one highly important iJct-ih-. central fact. n
dced-or the peace. conference. in :. Louis i iha
The members Of this organization are all memb-r-
the national I,arliam.nrs Of their Respective cOun
tries. Any idea which iInprs&se- member who at
tends any Of thcs.. meetings finds expression One
, IN 4 national legislature. Men VINO are ITacrics.
enough 10 get themselves elected 10 the legislator.
of their nation generally capable OF scttin:
things done when they have Income resolved. .,
peculiar significance attaches. therefore. ~ the ses
sionS OF this body. winch r. purely academic =" fa
International questions concerned. but who's
members speak with authority in tl,: affairs Of rheii
own nations.
Since its organization Paris IN ls.'a This Unior
has grown to a membership Of over 2OO AMI has
been the inspircr Of more than dozen arbitration
treaties and Of The Hague Court.
There Indications that greater results
will issue our Of It's session here.
The Hague Court WIS given Jurisdiction each
nation remaining free 10 resort 20 force in every
controversy after the creation ~ that be-
fore. II arbitration treaties. binding the sgnatories
in advance refer future controversies arbitra
ton 81 drawn TO give The Hague Court juris
dicton. this would be great step forward
Most Of the treaties recently executed in Europe
defective in that they do not clearly define the
questions To he arbitrated and do not give The
Hague Court jurisdiction. The AngloF rench treaty.
on which most Of them modelled. reserves for
trial by all questions except Questions Of law.
Questions Of law which affec; tie vital interest or
national honor Of either party the treaty. or the
interests Of third Power. are al~" reserved for
Hence these treaties do not bind the siguaiory
Powers 10 arb;rre many questions. and is almost
impossible tell in advance what questions will be
regarded as affecting the vital interest the honor
of nation.
\ treaty III TO become a model would clearly de-
fine the controversies covered 10y II. and 10 Ameri-
cans the les reservation the better Why should
there he any reservation: Again. the drafting OF
these treaties 80 as give The Hague Court juris-
diction and right 10 determine upon a method OF
procedure for trial of sucil controversies COW
cred by the treaty is Of paramount Importance.
THIS session OF the InterparIiamentary Union will
doubtless bring these points clearly to mind In the
dissection Of the defective treaties recently conclud
ed And II may be well that the United States have
been slow embark upon the business Of concluding
arbitration treaties. For shall now BE- drawn
into this movement. and when we begin we shall do
the business thoroughly. We may formulate suit
able treaty not with one but with many nations. 50
drawn as to give The Hague Court jurisdiction and
permanently nix IL in its true place an integral.
self acting part of tho worlds judicial system.
A resolution agreed on at fhe session ~ the
Executive Council Of the IBterrarliamentary Union
on Saturday which will. in all probability. he adopt
cd 1t Is 80 important a document that we give IL
hero in full:
Whereas. enlightened public opinion and
modern civilization alike demand that iis
fsrenoes between nations should be ad-
Indicated and settled in the manner
disputes between individuals ad-
Indicated. namely. by the arbitrament ~
courts in accordance with recognized prin-
ciples Of law. this conference requests the
several Governments Of the world
delegates TO international conference
TO be held at time and place 20 he
agreed upon by them for the purpose OF
considering:
!. The questions for the consideration
% which the conference al The Hague ex-
pressed wish that future conference
be called
The negotiation OF arbitration treaties
between the nations represented at tn.
conference to be convened.
The advisah.iity OF establishing an In
ternational Congress. 10 period
icaIy for the discussion Of International
questions.
And thi, conference respectfully and
cordially requests the President Of -h-
United States invite all the nations 20
send representatives to such a conference
II this conference OF nations which is called for |
" this resolution is convened and results in tie eS-
cu'ion of arbitration treaties which give The Hague
,ohrt 1ufsdlcuon- ana IN IN" creation OF Congress
+ Nations 10 convene periodically for discussion of
International questions though il has tn begin
With. power speak with authority on any aue~-
ion-the nations of the whole world will be organ
zed in union with the essential features of. gov
rnmeur. aud il will he mere question Of time |
when both court and congress acquire proper juris
ction- As the court and congress Of the nations
row in favor and in power the people will begin 10
ecognize that International organization
o them more perfectly than great war establish
nents the very things their establishments are
r-aDiZed to prcserve-commerciai supremacy, SOW
reignty At home and a voice abroad. National mil
tary establishments will then begin to dwindle
way. and in due time we can count on the estab-
shment of such relation among all nations as we
ow have among American States. II is not diff
ut TO that this is the natural the inevitable
ONE Of forces now operating under conditions as
hey exist. and they Will become when wireless