Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-02
Qualification and Disappointment.

While there had been much qualification
over the outcome of the Alaska boundary
line Cancellation commission there had been
much disappointment over the decision of
The Hague court in the Venezuela cases.
Other objections were raised. all Of which
could have been easily turned into argu-
ments for ratifying arbitration treaties, but
that they were advanced sufficient to
make it plain that the matter must wait at
least until another session of Congress.
At the same time a significant step was
taken by the committee on foreign rela tons
in the appointment of Senators Frye, Presi-
dent pro tempore Of the Senate; Fairbanks
and Morgan a subcommittee on the sub
ject, which was followed by the public an
nouncement, In authorized interviews by
Senator Frye and Senator Fairbanks that
they were heartily in favor of arbitration
treaties. Senator Cullom, chairman of the
committee on foreign relations, publicly
took similar position. and so did Senator
Bacon of Georgia, one of the leaders of the
minority of that committee, and other SEN
ators of equal prominence.
The favorable report made at the end of
the session by the committee on foreign re-
lations upon the treaty for the submission
to arbitration of all claims of private citi-
Zens against the American republics signed
at the Pan American congress at Mexico in
19O1-1902, a direct result of appeal by
the friends of arbitration, headed by Mr.
John w. Foster was encouraging. At the
same time 1t is necessary that the senti-
ment of the country in favor of interna-
tional arbitration should be again brought
to the attention of the Senate as impress
siveiy as possible and 1t will not do tn
take 1T for granted that no further effort of
this kind is required before the requisite
two-thirds of the senator's will vote for the
ratification of arbitration treaties.
AProf. John Bassett Moore of Columbia
University said he hoped that our arbitra :
ton treaties with other countries would be
more comprehensive.
DR.. Pages Address.
At the meeting Of the commission last
night Thomas Nelson Page of Washington
spoke briefly of the conference held in
Washington In January to inaurugate n
movement in favor of an arbitration treaty.
with Great Britain and said that the prog
poets of a treaty being concluded at the
next session CT Congress were most hope
full :
Henry M. Leipziger of New York dweIt
upon the free lecture system in the schools
of New York as one of the most important
channels by which to reach the influence of
public sentiment for peace
Judge Stiffness Of the Rhode Island su-
preme court spoke of the popular miscon-
ception of the judgment of The Hague court
in the Venezuela case. and said that In his
opinion the decision established most val
liable precedent in the enforcement of inter-
national justice
Representative Baker of Brooklyn, N. Y.
criticised the expenditure for charging the
navy. He spoke strongly against what he
termed the wasteful expenditure of the gov
eminent on the army and navy and
charged that people were guilty of gross in
consistency when they talked peace and
sustained an immense outlay ON armories
and other means of waging war.
Gen. Horaio c. King deprecated the idea
that reasonable preparation for war was
inconsistent. He said that no one was as
much in favor of peace as the military men
of the country. He argued that the main
tepance of the National Guard was a neces-
sity Of the times So long as other nations
brine-about arbitration until we are strong