The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-11
WRITES TO COLLUM.
President Roosevelt Resents Change
i'm Arbitration Agreement.

Z
Roosevelt has addressed a letter to
Senator Cullom, chairman of the COM
/, mittee on foreign relations stating that
the action of that committee in amend
ing the arbitration treaties by sub
shutting for the word agreement the
WORD treaty is, in his opinion, not a
step forward but a step backward.
II the word treaty is substituted the
treaties would amount to specific an
nouncement against the whole princi-
pal of general arbitration treaty. The
president also says, that If in the judg-
ment OF the president, an amendment
nullifies a proposed treaty it seems to
him that it is no less clearly a duty
to refrain from endeavoring to secure
ratification of the amended treaty.
The letter is as follows:
The White House, Washington, y.
G., Feb. 10. 1905.
My Dear Cullom-I learn that the
senate committee on foreign relations
has reported the arbitration treaties
to the senate amending them by sub
stituting for the words agreement"
IN The second article the word treaty"
me erect of the amendment is to
make 1t no longer possible, as between
It's contracting parties. to submit any
matter Whatever to arbitration with
out nrSt obtaining special treaty to
cover the case. This will represent
not a step forward, but a step back
ward. II the word agreement were
retained 1t would be possible for the
+
stance. it has already done under The
Hague treaty in the Plus fund arbitra-
ton case with Mexico and submit to
arbitration such subordinate matters
as by treaty the senate had decided
could be left to the executive to sub
init under a Jurisdiction limited by the
general treaty of arbitration If the
word treaty be substituted, the re-
suit is that every such agreement must
be submitted to the senate; and these
general arbitration treaties would
then cease to be such, and indeed in
their amended form, they amount to
a specific pronouncement against the
whole principal of general arbitra-
ton treaty.
The senate has of course the abso-
lutte right to reject or to amend III
any way 1T sees fit any treaty laid be-
fore it and it is clearly the duty of
the senate to take any step which in
the exercise of its best Judgment it
deems to be for the interest of the
nation. If, however, in the judgment
of the president a given amendment,
nulli6es a proposed treaty it seems
to me that it is no less clearly his duty
to refrain from endeaVOring to secure
a ratification by the other contracting
power or powers, of the amended
treaty and after much thought have
come toathe conclusion that ought
to write and tell you that such Is my
judgm ent in this case.
AS amended we would have a treaty
of arbitrati ton which in effect will do
nothing but to recite that this govern
ment will when it deems it wise here
after enter into treaties of arbitration
Inasmuch as we of course now nave
the power to enter into any treaties or
arbitration and inasmuch as to pass
the se amended treaties does not in the
smallest degree facilitate settlements
by arbitration to make them would in
no way further the cause of inter-
national peace. 1t would not, in my
judgment, be wise or expedient to try
to secure the assent of other contract |
~. 9aG
for even If such assent secured We
should still remain precisely where we
were before, save where the situation |
may be changed little for the worse. |
There would not even be the slight 1
benefit that might obtain from the
more general statement that we In !
tend hereafter, when we can come to |
an agreement with foreign powers as
to what shall be submitted, to enter /
into arbitration treaties; for we have |
already, when we ratified The Hague t
treaty with the various signatory pow /
ers SOlemnly declared such to be our /
intention; and nothing is gained by |
our adherence to the princi- /
pie while refusing to provide any |
means of making our intention Ell
fective. In the amended form the |
treaties contain nothing except such |
expression of barren intention, and in
deed as compared with what has al |
ready been provided for in The Hague
arbitration treaty, they probably rep
resent not a step forward but slight
step backward as regards the question
of International arbitration. AS such /
I do not think that they should receive
the sanction of this government. Per-
it is not my opinion that this
government lacks the power to enter
into general treaties of arbitration, but
if 1 am in error. and if this government
has no power to enter into such gen
eral treaties, then it seems to me that
it is better not to attempt to make
them, rather than to make the attempt
in such shape that they shall accomp-
fish literally nothing whatever when
made.
Sincerely yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Senator Cullom read the letter aloud
during an executive session of the sem
today Tt was received with great
deal of surprise and several senators
asserted that the letter confirmed what
they had claimed. namely that the
words treaty and agreement" were
the essential points. They insisted that
If the word agreement instead of
treaty was used it would give the
president full power to negotiate agree
ments without submitting them to the
senate.
He Beat the Takers.