The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-02
HAGUE WELCOMES U. 8. PLAN
MR.. CHOATE PRESENTS PERMA-
NEWT Arbitration IDEA.


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THE Hague. Aug. THE proposal Of the
United States for the establishment OF n
permanent arbitration tribunal at The
Hague was presented by Mr.. Choate to-day
before the first commission and received
great success.
Baron Won Biebersten repeated his dec
l~aration Of the other day that Germany
would consider the institution OF such a,
court real progress. He accepted the
general principle Of the American project
and said hat Germany would give all it's
strength TO this, the chief task Of the con
ference.
Sir Edward Fry said that Great Britain
cordially adhered to the principle Of the
American project. He expressed the hope
tina a brief discussion would enable the
commission to frame It into final shape.
Prof. Martens. who mentioned Russia's
proposal on the same subject, said that at
the conference Of 1899 Russia had acceded
to Lord Pauncefote's proposal and prob
ably was disposed to take similar action
on this occasion.
LONDON. Aug. IA despatch from The
Hague to-day says that to-day's session Of
tho first commission. under the presidency
Of Leon Bourgeois. was the most important
sinc the meeting OF the conference.
Choate's trenohsnt presentation Of a strong
case silenced the opposition that is known
to exist to the establishment Of a permanent
and continuous tribunal Of arbitration.
In an eloquent peroration Mr.. Choate
said that the conference held the fate Of
peoples in its hands. II would betray it's
trust IL IL failed to establish the institution
he had outlined. The conference. he said.
must make a supreme effort. Six weeks
had passed. in the course Of which the con-
ference had regulated warfare. but hither-
TO had done nothing toward preventing il,
although the purpose Of the conference vas
to establish a state of peace. not a state OF
war.
Mr.. Choate in expoumding the American
scheme cited President Roosevelt's letter
to the New York Peace Conference on April
4 Of this year and relied further on the
enormous movement in progress among the
nations. He argued hat the American
plan would preserve and develop the scheme
OF 1890. Such tribunal as had existed had,
Mr.. Choate said. tried only four cases, and
two-thirds Of its Judges had remained I'M
employed. One cause of this had been
the fear of the expense.
The jurisdiction of the tribunal should
be rendered gratuitous by the establish
ment of a general assessment among the
Governments which adhered to the system.
There had hitherto beer no continuous
or constructive force that would permit
the establishment Of International juris-
prudence. This must be remedied IL the
nnpfaronra IF lQ0T Waa tn ho Wnrfhv pf that
of 1899.
The general principles of the court pro-
posed by the United States are as follows
Disputants are free to have recourse to il
or not. II will be open to all. The first
article establishes the number oSJudges at
seventeen or more, of whom nine will con-
stitute a quorum Great and small Powers
will be equally represented on il and the
Judges will be named for a fixed term.
The second article stipulates for annual
meetings. The Judges will enjoy diplomatic
immunity and will be- paid from the joint
contributions of all the States. Their de-
cisions are to be made by an absolute ma
jority.
The third article provides that no Judge
shall sit in a case in which his own country
is concerned.
Inc IOuTtn dTIlCle Tenuerh lne court
competent TO dea with all cases which
nave not been regulated by diplomatic
means. This article makes of the court an
appeal tribunal to which recourse can he
had after the findings of commissions Of
inquiry or Of special arbitration tribunals.
The fifth article says that the Judges
Of the permHnen mt court may not belong to
inquiry commissions or special tribunals.
The sixth article establishes as the base
Of the permanent courts constitution that
of an actual court. Judges whose ma mes
may he furnished by the signatory Powers
may he added TO those who form the exist
ing court.
In the House Of Commons to-day For
eign Secretary Sir Edward Grey said. in
answer to a question. that no resolution
had yet been framed for submission to the
Peace Conference at The Hague with refer
ence to the limitation Of ornaments