The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-12
ARBITRATION
 IS RATIFIED Treaties AreSanCtiOned By
 the Senate. AN AMENDMENT ADOPTED Objections of Southern Mem berS Satisfied. Morgan of Alabama Had Expected to Speak at Length, but VIII
 Present His Views at
 Later Date.
AN AMENDMENT ADOPTED

Washington, Feb. 1.-The Senate, in executive session today, ratified the ar- bitration treaties between the United States and the European Governments. It required two sessions to reach an agreement. At the first session con- sideration was given to a communica- tion from the President to Senator Gull lom in the form of a protest against any amendment being adopted with only nine votes against the amendment made b ythe Senate Committee on For eign Relations.
 The situation in the arbitration trea- ties has been strained for several weeks. The first protests against the treaties were made by Senators from Southern States who sought an amend- ment which would preclude the possi- bility of the arbitration of claims against their States by reason of re- pudiated bonds. It was suggested that an amendment should be adopted which changed but one word, that of agree ment' to treaty in Article 2, making the article read as follows;
 "In each individual case the high con- tracting parties, before appealing to the permanent court of arbitration, shall conclude special treaty defining clearly the matter In dispute, the scope of the powers of the arbitrators and the periods to be fixed for the forma- tion of the tribunal and the several stages of the procedure"
 The amendment answered the purpose of the protests made by the Southern Senators. and in addition to that es- tabiished the principle that any matter in the nature of treaty with a foreign Government must be consummated by the President with the consent of the Senate" In this form the committee reported the treaties to the Senate.
 Rights of Senate.
 The treaties were considered, but no action taken up today. The first of the Senate today was confined almost en- tirely to a defense by half a dozen Sem ators of the Senate's rights to amend treaties. The President was criticized sharply because of his letter declaring 1t to be a step backward to ratify the treaties in the form proposed by the Senate Committee on Foreign Rela- tions.
 No defense of the Presidents posi- tion was taken until the second execu- tive session. when Senators Deliver. Fairbanks, Platt (Conn.) and Hopkins argued against the need of haste. They took the position that there are no questions included in the treaties which could not properly be submitted by asking agreement to arbitration. Senator Deliver said that there were some matters of business that were pressing in the Senate, but that the treaties did not enter Into the list and that If they were amended in the form proposed the country would not have further interest in them. It was ar- gued that an amendment ought to be directed, if an amendment were neces- eary at all to better definition of the class of questions to be left to arbi- tration, rather than by an amendment which put the Government of the United States in the attitude of agree ing with foreign nations in advance that in certain cases it would make treaties of arbitration. It was said that the obligation to do that was all ready upon us by reason of The Hague Convention and the oft-repeated state ment that 1t is the national policy to arbitrate.
 The ratification of these treaties, 1t was argued. offered to this Government the best chance 1t was likely to have in this generation to do its share toward the abolition of the barbarisms of war.
 Adjournment Defeated.
 After the speeches by Senators Platt (conn.), Deliver and Fairbanks, a mo- ton to adjourn was made on the grounds that there was no need for hasty action on the treaties. Those who favored the amendment opposed the motion and on a roll call 1t was defeated.
 A motion was then made to adopt the committees amendment. The vote was taken on the treaty between the United States and France as the other treaties are on identical lines. roll call was again demanded and the amendment was adopted by a vote of 50 to g.
 When this amendment was adopted it was agreed to so far as the other treaties were concerned and the treaties were ratified by viva voce vote. The Senate then at 6:27 D. m. adjourned.
 Senator Morgan had expected to ad- dress the Senate at length today in op- position to the treaties, basing his ar gument on the contention that The Hague treaty is sufficient for the pa- cihc settlement of international differ ences. He had prepared a report giv- ing the views of the minority of the Committee on Foreign Relations and gave notice yesterday that when the Senate met today he would make speech in support of the views set forth in that report. The Senate. how ever, became involved In a discussion of the Presidents letter. Senator Nor gan will present his views later.
 Minority Report.
 The report of the minority Is signed by Senators Morgan and Money. It quoted from the provisions of The Hague Convention to show the sum cheney of that treaty for the settlement of all differences. One of the provis- ions discussed at length is that "the arbitration convention is concluded for questions already existing or for ques- tions that may arise eventually. It may embrace any dispute or only dis putes of a certain category In this connection Senator Morgan says:
 If The Hague convention is worthy of the cause 1t was designed to serve 1t Is too important to be disturbed in its rightful authority by special or side agreements between any of the sigma tory powers"
 The report declares that 1t is the uni- nority that is trying to preserve The ETaofa treaty from enCroachmant and