Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-12-07
FOREIGN AFFAIRS ARE GOOD
United States Seeks to Be Strong and
Kind Ncighbor of the Nations

In foreign affairs this country's steady
policy Is to behave toward other nations
as strong. and self respecting man
with whom he Is brought into contact.
In other words, our aim is disinterest
edly to help other nations where such
appearance of meddling with what does
not concern us; to be careful to act
as good neighbour, and at the same
time, in good-natured fashion, to make
imposed upon.
WORK AT THE HAGUE
The second international peace con-
ference was convened at The Hague on
session until the 18th Of October. For
the first time the representatives of
practically all the civilized countries Of
the world united IN tempernste and nd
which the causes. of war might be mar
rowed and it's injurious effects reduced
Although the agreements REACHED in
go to the length hoped for by the more
sanguine. yet In many directions i'm
portant steps. were taken, and upon ey-
such sue fuil and considerable discussion as
to justify the belief that substantial
progress has been made toWard further
v Sertts'' we're agreed upon embodying
the definite conclusions which had been
! reached and resolutions were adopted
. | marking the progress maze IN matters
upon which agreement was not Yet snf-
| ficiently complete to make conventions
1 practicable, -
POSITION OF UNITED STATES :,
I The delegates of the, United states
4 were instructed to favor an agreement
ment of a permanent court Of arbitra-
i tion to proceed iudicially In the hear
ing and decision of international causes,
the prohibition of force for the collec-
ton of contract debts alleged to be due
from governments to citizens of other
countries until after arbitration as to
the justice and amount of the debt and
! the time and manner Of payment, the
immunity of private property at sea, the
better definition of the rights of neu-
end should be introduced the limitat ior
of ornaments.
In the field Of peaceful disposal Of in;
advances were made. First. as to obli
gatory arbitration. Although the con
ference failed to. secure. unanimous
), agreement upon the details of a convcn
[ resolve as follows:
ut is unanimous: % In accepting TIL,
| principle for obligatory arbitration; q
. notably those relating 20 the interpreta
ton and application of international con
ventional stipulations are susceptible o
f being submitted to obligatory arbitration
; without any restriction
In view of the fact that as a resul
of the discussion the vote upon the def
, mite treaty of obligatory arbitration
, which was proposed, stood 80 in favo
. to 9 against the adoption of the treat
there can be little doubt that the grea
. ma iority of the countries Of the worlt
{ have reached a point where they ar
: now ready to apply practically the prin
4 ciples thus unanimously agreed upon b.
the conference.
f FORCE TO COLLECT DEBTS
The second advance, and a very grea
pNp ic
; the use of force for the collection o
u contract debts. Your attention is in
: vited to the paragraphs upon this sub
iect In my message of December, 1906
and to the resolution of the third Ameri
= can c inference at Rio IN the summe
: of 1906 The convention upon thi
= subject adopted by the conference sub
!, stantialy as proposed by the America
= delegates is as follows,
!: In order to avoid between nation
. armed conflicts Of a purely pecnniar
: origin arising from contractual debt
: claimed of the government of one coun
), try by the government of another cour
y tory powers agree. not TO- have recours
!, IT, ;,rmed force for the collection of sue
u coniractual debts.
! be applicable, when the debtor state re
n fuses or leaves unanswered an offer t
y arbitratee, or, In case Of acceptance
terms of submission. or, after arbitra
: ton. fails to comply with the. awar
J. rendered.
J. here contemplated shall be in conform
: ity, as to procedure. with Chapter II
lie OF the convention for the Pacific Sc
J. Element of interna tional disputes adopte
e at The Hague. and that it shall deter
d mine, in SO far as there shall be n
e agreement between the parties, the jul
s. tice and the amount of the debt III
l. time and mode of payment thereof
II Such a provision. would have prevente
s. much injustice and extortion in the pa
i and r cannot doubt that its effect
Is the future will be most salutary
70 A third advance has been made