Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-19
ARBITRATION
Action of the National Board
Of Trade.
REASON THE BEST WAY
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT COM
,MENDED FOR HIS POSITION.
Report of Committee = Treaties Now
Pending Before Senate Should
Be Ratified.
REASON THE BEST WAY

session of the National Board or Iraue,
and that large and influential body of COM
mercial men placed itself squarely on rec
ord as favoring the settlement of differ
ences between nations in the future by
argument and reason rather than by the
bullet. There were a number of spirited
speeches, and all were strongly in favor of
international arbitration. President Roose-
welt was commended on the stand he has
taken, and it was argued that the Senate
should pass all the arbitration treaties
now before it.
The committee on interna tional arbitra-
ton reported that farreaching benefits
would follow the adoption Of international
arbitration by the nations of the world"
The benefits of peaceful relations and the
wastages and sufferings of humanity from
warfare between nations were cited by the
report The Hague tribunal was commend
ed. and 1t was stated that there are
various arbitration treaties prepared be-
tween the United States and other govern
ments, which contemplate agreements for
settlement of international differences by
arbitration which cannot be adjusted by
diplomacy, and which should not furnish
excuse or occasion for conflict by war.
That the Judgment Of this national
beard of trade is that the treaties of ar
filtration now pending before the United
States Senate should be passed in the pres
ent form during the present session of Con-
gress
THAT the interests Of civilization require
the immediate establishment of a perma-
nent system of arbitra ton, to embrace all
civilized ma lions, and it is earnestly recon-
pended that the President and members
of the Senate proceed with the necessary
steps to negotiate such treaties will Sc
cure these ends and so far as human en-
deavor goes. to make future wars between
great nations impossible"
Discussed at Length.
The report was discussed by several dele
gates, but always from a standpoint favor
able to arbitration as substitute for war
fare Mr.. w. A. Mahony, chairman of the
international arbitration committee of the
Columbus (Ohio) board Of trade. stated that
he had been working on the two Ohio senators,
Foraker and Dick, and would not cease
until he had made them both converts to
arbitration. He said President Roosevelt
had gone over the objections to the pend
ing treaties with Senator Foraker, and as
the result the President had taken steps to
counteract the objections offered by sew
eral senators.
Each Of u.s." said Mr.. Mahony, should
give our senators to understand that the
business of our country and of the world
demands that arbitration be employed for
the settlement of all disputes in the fu-
ture instead of grim warfare. The Hague
tribunal should be made the supreme
court of the world, where the differences
of the world may be settled by peaceful
means"
Inc speaker agreed with president
Roosevelt that preparedness was the best
preventive of warfare.
Remarks We're made by Messrs. Haupt of
Philadelphia Murray of Cincinnati and
others
Mr.. Mahony, again taking the floor, stat
ed that the national board of trade favors
arbitration generally. There are some
objections of some kind in the Senate. We
are not aware what is the condition of
those treaties. 1t is a matter between the
President, the Secretary of State and the
Senate, and we had better let them settle
their own dIfferences-but let us have arbi-
tration in some FORM
Mr. F. l. Hitchcock of the Scranton (Pa)
beard of trade said according to Gen. Sher-
mans definition of war, there's hell going
on in the far east now between the sister
ma tons of Russia and Japan. They have
been engaged in a deadly grapple for near
ly year, and the vexed questions are no
nearer solution now than when the first
shot was fired. Thousands of human lives
have been lost, and both nations are mem
bers of The Hague peace tribunal the car
being its sponsor
Cotton Returns.
Several delegates called attention to
the manipulation of cotton returns by
interruptions spectators. He referred to
the statement of the Department of Ag-
riculture that the crop this year will be
about 100000 bales, which is far in
excess of the worlds demand and which
has caused the price of cotton to decline
cents on the pound
A resolution was offered fayoring the eX-
penditure of 600 for the improve
ment of roadIways in the United States. Ac-
ton on this measure was deferred until
next year.
Present Officers Reelected.
The committee on nominations reported
the names of the present officers of the
board for reelection. and they were unani
mously chosen to serve another year, as
folows
(Ohio) chamber Of commerce; first vice
president Charles s. Hamlin of the Bos-
ton chamber Of commerce.; second vice
president, George H. D. Johnson of Mil
waukee; secretary and treasurer, W. r.
Tucker of the Philadelphia board of trade.
After passing resolutions Of thanks to
the officers, the press and the management
Of the New Willard, the convention at
O'Clock this afternoon adjourned until 1906.
The members of the national board of
trade upon their arrival at their meeting
place this morning were handed copies Of
the report of the committee on bridges of
the Washington Board of Trade, of which
Mr.. Frank Hume is chairman, favoring the
proposed memorial bridge across the Po-
tomac river as a monument to American
patriotism
Appeals to Business Men,
1t was hoped the President would join
with England and other powers to bring
about the cessation of the struggle The
matter appeals t. the Board of Trade and
kindred associations, for 1t has strong
commercial side and has caused serious
commercial disturbance. One result is that
the poor men in this country are today
paying twice as much for their -four as
they paid before the war began.
Let US start the ball a-rollng," con-
cluded Mr.. Mahony, land stop this hell of
war. Although Russia's pride has been
seriously Jared by contact with the Japs,
I believe she will be willing to enter into
peace negotiations"
Another delegate spoke Of the United
States as a hearty. muscular fellow with a
chip on his shoulder Had the Russian
admiral Rojesventsky, fired upon a feet OF
American fishing vessels instead of English
1t would have been almost impossible to
have held the American people in check"
Mr.. w. T. Robinson of the American
Warehousemen's Association moved that
bill be presented to Congress and it's pas
| sage urged by the national board of trade
| providing an appropriation for the estab-
| lishment of storage plant for the expert
| mental preservation of food. The motion
| was adopted
A resolution was adopted recommending
| that the commercial bodies forming the ma
| hna of do