Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-20

w. Foster. George Gray, Prof. George w.
Kirchwey. Robert Lansing. Prof. John Bas-
| sett Moore and Prof. G. G. Wilson. Elk
off1cio-Oscar s. Straus, chairman; James
B. Scott recording secretary; Charles
Henry Butler, corresponding secretary, and
| Chandler P. Anderson, treasurer.
Following the election the session ended
| and the members went to luncheon. meet
| Ing at the hotel at 80 and going to re-
| ception at the White House at o'clock
Discussion Of Drago Doctrine.
The afternoon session was devoted largely
| to a discussion of the so-called Drago doc
trine, Complementary of the Monroe doc
| trine. and providing against the collection
of debts from any of the South American
republics by the armed forces of another
power. The discussion furnished the first
real excitement of the meeting. A resolu-
ton offered by William Barnes of
Nantucket, affirming the adherence of the
delegates to the DragO doctrine. There
were several spakers who discussed the
subject. among them Prof. Amos Hershey
Of the University of Indiana. In the course
of his remarks Prof. Hershey said some
action must be taken by the creditor ma
tons against the republics Of South Amer
lea. which are unsound financially and un-
stable politically.
This Immediately struck fire from S.
Gurgel de Amaral, the counselor OF the
Brazilian embassy, who declared with some
heat that Brazil had never repudiated
just debt and that her history. both po-
ltical and financial, is open to the inspec-
ton of the world. Prof Hershey said he
the South American republics by his re-
| mark, and did not wish it understood in an
unfriendly way by Brazil.
Text of Resolution.
The resolution offered by Mr.. Barnes was
as follows:
That the American Society of 1nterna-
tional Law, assembled at Washington, July
Il. 1907, will consider that it is degreda-
ton of the functions and purposes of the
armies and navies of the world to pervert
them to the duties of debt collectors for any
country or its citizens and the lowering of
the dignity of admiraiS of the navy to force
them to perform the functions of bailiffs.
constabes and sheriffs in the collection of
debts. and that We hereby approve of the
so-Called 'Calvo or 'Drago' doctrines.
The first speaker Of the afternoon was
DR.. Crammon Kennedy of Washington,
who served as a member of the Nenezue-
Ian Claims commission in 1908. DIR. Ken
needy discussed the Venezuelan affair, and
| endeavored to show that the public was
under misapprehension of the intent
| of Germany, and that the payment OF
the comparatively insignificant deots
then owing her by Venezuela was not the
prime cause of the blockade. but rather
Germanys desire to encroach on South
American territory. So long as one ma
ton secures loans from another, which the
his conviction that armed COLLECTION Wouid
continue.
The speaker pointed out that there is
a commonly recognized principle of inter
national law that a nation has the right
of forcing payment. DR.. Kennedy bemoaned
the fact. but stated that until the day OF
dreams materializes. when nations Will
look upon each other with the altrulSm or
brotherly individuals. when men live up TO
their contracts and do not forsake their
legal employers to become insurance Off
Gals" this condition must continue.
Mr.. Penfeld's Views.
Judge William l.. Penfield, former So
licitor of the State Department. declared
the right to enforce demand for payment
of debt is more than a question of law.
1t is a question of policy and ethics. he
said. Mr.. Pentield continued:
Whether it is practical to bring all ma
tons to submit all their controversies of a
political nature to arbitration may be a
question. but that it is practica! to settle
all controversies of judicial nature pS
this method is no longer doubted. The
weaker states have suffered from armed
intervention. and they demand it. Other
wise the fundamental principles of morality
which govern individuals should goNen ma
tons The only condition of peace is JUS
tice and peace between nations can never
be gotten by judicial or arbitrary justice;
peace can only be assured by the use OF
force when necessary to accept Impartial
arbitration.
Among the prominent men in attendance
at Yesterdays meeting were DR.. Michael
Chirurg of Boston, Louis r. Van Norman.
New York city: A V. Armour New YORK;
Francis Aymar, New York city; l.. -
Evans, Tufts College: William Barnes,
| Nantucket. Mass; Charles j: TraXter
MINNEAPOLIS. Mimi: W. w. Wiloughby.
Baltimore: II. w. Turniss. American lega-
ton. Port au Prince. Haiti; William A
Prendergast New York city: Major Kun
ishege Tanaka. Japanese embassy; Lieut..
Commander Naomi Taniguchi. japanese
embassy: George q. Wilson. Providence.
r. l.: Joseph C. Baldwin, New York city;
Charles W. Warren. Detroit, Mich: Prof.
Noble Gregory. State University of Iowa.
The stand taken by President Roosevelt
in the Calfornia-Japan controversy was up
held last evening in the discussion of the
rights of foreigners in the United States in
ase of conflict between federal treaties and
state laws An interested listener the
Japanese ambassador. Viscount Aoki.
Evening Session.
The speakers of the evening. Prof. Charles
Noble Gregory of the State University of
Iowa.; Prof w. w Willoughby of the
Johns Hopkins University; Arthur X. Kuhn
and Everett P. Wheeler of the New York
city bar all agreed in their statements that
it was impossible to find any Limitation to
the constitutional power of the government
over that of the separate states that af
fected the San Francisco case.
Gen. John w. Foster who presided. called
attention to the fact that there were no
advocates of states rights among those
who read papers the discussions which
followed
At the executive session. held early in the
evening, a nominating committee was APP
pointed as follows: Robert Bacon w. w.
Willoughby. Charles Il. Warren, Theodore
S. Woolsey and William A. Prendergast.
A reception will be given at the White
House by President Roosevelt this after
nor md h inc he f,ln