Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-11
,idr,s,.. LcttertO Senator CuIlom
REGARDING Amending Arbi'
tratlOn Treaties.
EFFECT WOULD Be VERY BAD.
c.Old Impose Upon Contracting Par
NJ, Necessity Of a Separate Com
pact for Each Case
STEP BACKWARD, NOT FORWARD
+, Amended Form Would be Specific
P,onOuucement Against Principle
OF General Arbitration,

p,onouuccment Against Principle
OF General Arbitration,
washington, Feb 1l.-President
pooseyet has addressed a letter to
senator Cullom chairman OF the com
mIttse on foreign relations, stating
mat the action OF that committee In
,msnding the arbitration treaties BY
,obstltutng for the word agreement
tbe word treaty IS, in his opinion
rot step forward but a step backward.
II the word treaty is substituted the
tratles would amount to specific
announcement against the whole prln-
chile Of q general arbitration treaty.
The president also says that II, in the
Judgment Of the president, an amend
ment nulllhes proposed treaty II
seems to him that It is no less clearly
Ms duty to refrain from endeayoring to
secure ratification OF the amended
treaty
PRESIDENTS LETTER.
The letter Is as follows;
The White House, Washington d. c.,
Feb TO- 1905.
Mr. Dear Senator Cullom-I learn
That the senate committee on foreign
relations has reported the arbitration
treaties TO the senate amending them
BY substituting for the word agree
mant' IN the second article, the word
treaty. The effect OF the amend
mtnt is to make It no longer possible,
Is between Its contracting parties, TO
submit any matter whatever to arbitra-
lon without FIRST obtaining special
treaty 10 cover the case. This win
represent not a step forward but step
backward. If the word agreement"
were retained 1t would be possible for
The department Of state to do as, for
Instance u has already done under
Ihe Hague treaty IN the Plus fund ar
bi,raton case with Mexico and submit
l0arbiuation such subordinate matters
rs by treaty the senate had decided
ould be left TO the executive 10 submit
under the jurisdiction limited by the
general treaty OF arbitration. II the
word treaty" be substituted, the re-
putt Is that every such agreement must
BE- submitted to the senate; that these
general arbitration treaties would then
cease TO be such, and indeed I'm their
amended form, they amount to a specl-
10 announcement against the whole
huNtu1a "a a .rlt
the senate has of course the absolute
right TO reject or to amend I'm any way
i sees ~ any treaty laid before Il,
md it is clearly the duty of the senate
70 take any step which, in the exercise
Of It's best judgment, It seems to be for
The interest Of the nation,
IT, however in the Judgment OF the
PRESIDENT a given amendment nullihes
proposed treaty Il seems to me that II
: no less clearly his duty to refrain
from Cndeayoring to secure a ratiaca-
Ton by the other contracting power or
powers Of the amended treaty; and
hiter much thought | have come TO the
conclusion that l ought to write and
,e You that such 10 my Judgment in
This case.
AS amended we would have a treaty
p arhiIratlon which, In effect. will do
nouling but TO recite that this govern
meht WILL when II deems IL wise here
5ler enter INTO treaties OF arbitration.
iuaslnuoh an we, Of course, now have
.us power to enter into any treaties of
lWlIaVon and inasmuch as to mass
upNe amended treaties does not I'm the
luallest degree facilitate settlements
WnlTauou, TO make them would
h no way further the cause OF inter.
national peace.
would not, IN my Judgment. be
"se OF eNpedient TO try 10 secure the
stut OF the other contracting powers
the amended trewles for even n
XXX assent We're secured we should
KY remain precisely where we we're
tW.e save where The sittlatlon may
,1,aNBed little for the worse. There
uattu Hot even be the slight benef,
w'I tubht obtain from the moro peu-
9Ol'ement that we intend hereafter
sit we can come to an agreement
bl tVIelgh powers as 10 what ANAL
r.,,gtu,ullted, to enter into arbitration
,s,teNs lor we have already. .yhen yvo
NY Iu ule Hague treaty with tho vari.
ma 'sn9tofy powers solemnly DECLARED
10 ne our intention. and nothing
h ehn.u py reiterating our adherence
ris "p principle while refusing 10 nro-
ifr,t,nl '',ls OF making our Intention ef-
M, m the amended form the trea-
,res. JIon'ain nothing except such OK
se,5 or barren intention and in
~o1, ss compared with what has al.
,rtl.y oleen provided for IN The uaguo
vs.'laa'lon treaty, they probably rem
rsn ~ Hot step forward but n SLIGHT
vi,, ea,AWard as regards the ouestion
International arbitration ''''''''
,a such ! do not think tbat tho,.
,rn,, e IeoelVe the sanction of this GOV.
n3II,' Personally, II is not nv onin.
,r to '" al ulls government lacks the now
ro,t.l'e, INTO general treaties 81 nr-
XII .auon, but II | am In error ard n
lar ,solefnment has no power IN on
,.s,, ,n'o such general treaties. then II
srns 70 me that II II better moi 10 at
nsI, 40 make them, rather than to
hey VIZ attempt I'm such shane INN
,nall accomplish literally nothing
'"a'eVer when made. ' '''''''"s
Sincerely yours.
Hor THEODORE ROOSEVELT
rnn,oh s. VI Cullom. chairman Cow,
NV. on Foreign Relations trnitoa
LETTER pEAr, M, ,,,-.....