The San Francisco call., 1905-01-08

roster, eX-SecreldTY OIL Sldle
and president of the National Ar
bitration Conference, has writ
ten a monograph upon Arbitration
and The Hague Court" which sums
up in concise fashion the results of
The Hague Peace Conference of 1899
and sets forth the present achieve
ments and future aims of the worlds
peace party. At the present time when
arbitration treaties between the United
States and two other nations are pend
ing the confirmation of the Senate and
when President Roosevelt is awaiting
the answers of the powers to his call
for a second peace conference Fosters
book has significance which demands
wide reading.
The writer's review of the session of
the first peace conference is brief but
comprehensive. He shows how the
very involved nature of the proposed
disarmament of the nations was in it
self sufficient cause for the failure of
the measure to win the undivided sane
tion of the powers signatQry to the
convention and declares that the ex-
preston of a reduction Of armaments
as an ideal to be held before the ma
tions, such as that incorporated in the
convention by the delegates to the con-
ference, was in itself something gained;
indeed the onlv thing that could be
gained at the time. In the work OF the
international assemblage which result
ed in the arbitration convention ana
the establishment of the permanent
court for the arbitrament of interna-
tional differences Mr.. Foster finds,
however, sufficient reason for proclaim
ing The Hague conference the first ef-
fective step in the direction Of uni
versal peace.
Mr.. Foster believes that in the near
future the failure Of the arbitration
convention evolved at The Hague to
incorporate in it's provisions the en-
forcement Of compulsory arbitration
will be remedied. The nearest ap-
proach to this measure made by the
convention Is that clause which re-
serves to the powers signatory the
right to conclude general or special
agreements extending the obligation to
submit controversies to arbitration be-
fore the bar of The Hague Court in all
cases mutually agreed upon. Under
this clause Great Britain and France
first set the initiative by concluding a
treaty agreement stipulating that the
contracting parties shall submit to the
permanent court of arbitration diff
ferences of judicial order or relative
to the Interpretation of existing trea-
ties, providing that such differences do
not concern "the vital interests. nor
the independence or honor of the two
contracting states" But, as Foster
shows. this proviso clause anent
the vital interests, honor and
independence of : the parties to
the treaty leaves room for
great elasticity Of application and is
to be deprecated. Treaties since rati-
fled between Holland and Denmark
and Chile and Argentina, which agree
to submit all disputes to The Hague
Court, reserving only those concerned
with the independence of one or both
Of the contracting parties, are to the
mind of the author much more in ac-
cordance with the spirit of information
al arbitration and point the way for a
more liberal reading of the doctrine Of
peace.
In conclusion the writer Of this mono-
graph cites the instances already on
record of the efficiency OF The Hague
Court and calls for the hearty CO.
operation of every individual in sup
port of the sentiment which created it
and which must continue to sustain
and amplify its beneflcent jurisdiction.
Despite the terrible contradiction of
the spirit of international amity
which is now displaying itself in
the war drama OF the Far East. Foster
has every reason to uphold an abiding
trust in the ultimate triumph Of peace
policies, achieved through the opera
ton Of the tribunal of International
at The Hague.
(Houghton. Miffiin & Co.. Boston,
price sL)