Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-13
THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL
What a Washington Diplomat
Says About 1t.
ITS INFLUENCE LIMITED
Arbitration of Differences Touching
National Honor.
SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED
Suspension of Armament and Colonial
Matters Will Be Considered
The Monroe Doctrine.

Is The Hague tribunal. Notwithstanding
| its seven years CT doubtful existence and
of its noble parentage, nothing, after ALL
but cloak to be used to shield the future
conquests of the great nations of the world :?
This question, intelligently propounded to
Washington officials. did not bring a de-
NAL. diplomat from a European court
| in discussing this interesting subject with
! Star representative last evening, referred
| to the recent European dispatches which
have appeared in American newspapers dur
| ing the week complaining of the lack
of interest on the part of the nations in
that which concerns the next meeting Of
the tribunal. 1t is admitted that an in
curry should be made of Emperor Nicholas
as to date when the conference is to be
held. AS is well known, it was postponed
| from last year on account of the congress
held at Rio Janeiro in the summer.
Germany the prominent diplomat
stated. has never taken the initiative in
peace conference matters, while Russia it.
self seems to care very little about inter-
national arbitration just at present France
| In view OF Germanys reticence, which the
| republic ascribes to Imperialism, is not in
clined to take an upper hand in the cues
ton of disarmament"
Power of Tribunal.
Sdi Inquiry III administrative and dip
lomatic circles on the question above given
has brought but one explanation, and with
slight but unimportant variations it is as
follows: Arbitration at The Hague is a
myth. No official has faith in the power
of that tribunal to settle questions of any
but local character. 1t is also generally
maintained that when the differences be-
tween two or more nations touches the
very existence of a country, its national
hOnOr, Its policy of interna fjOpa1 cir
the nations concerned prefer to straighten
out the difficulty in their own way. This
point has been especially maintained in
that which affects juStifiable wars While
1t was once-and probably it is even today
possible for a ruler to go to war to crafty
personal whim, the causes of either Sol
lerino or Marathon or Greeces assertion
of independence against Turkey. make arbi-
tration more than impossible.
Again. another interesting point is brought
about by this impossiblity. 1t is that while
general successful arbitration in a hetero-
geneous tribunal is not possible, the sue
cessful arbitrator is, and in this respect
President Roosevelts action in the Russo
japanese war is a good example
William I. Stead, the wel-known Lon
don editor. has just started to tour the
world in the interest of peace. According
to his statement he is authorized by the
British premier to outline Great Britain's
attitude In the coming conference at The
Hague England's position in the matter
of peace has Eeen SO long defined and is so
well known that it hardly needs repetition
Her paramount sea power and insular nos
sessions make her independent OF CONT
mental combinations. and therefore she is
practically free from molestation on the
part of any nation
What Can Be Expected in Future.
I'm looking over the work accomplished
| by The Hague tribunal said the am
| bassador, but little is found to show
what may be expected of it in the future
| unless it be repeated failures. 1t has al
ways been puzzle to the Iaymen-and
source of amusement to those who under
stand such things-why Emperor Nicholas,
| as the prime mover in the constitution of
the arbitration tribunal, did not submit to
| 1t his own petty troubles with Japan. The
Hague was never approached by Great
Britain In reference to her troubles. in the
! late nineties, with the Transvaal
Now there are England, Russia, Japan.
France, Germany. Austria and minor other
countries who have general troubles of
their own. Can the official mind concaiva
how England will be satisfied with plain.
common arbitration when Canada and Aus
tralia are both slipping away from beneath
the folds of her national mantle, not to
speak of India, which of herself it is a
white elephant. Russia in the midst of
turmoil at home and her almost irretriev-
able loss of prestige and the loss of
Sakhaiin and Korea and Port Arthur and
a nominal proprletorShip of Manchuria is
another nation that will not arbitrate Her
own statesmen have said so. Japan inter-
ested as she is in overthrowing German in
huence In Asia and increasing her own in
place of the latter, will she allow The
Hague tribunal to decide what steps she
must take and those she must not? France
as a peace-loving republic, is not content
with arbitration white she smarts under the
loss of Alsace-Lorrane and while Germany
is endeavoring to force her from the north
ern coast of Africa. Germany too with her
lmperlaiistic ruler and haughtiness of
peaceful during the course of future CEN
teres, unless she can get Il port in the
Mediterranean
A Negative Constitution.
This question was made: "Of what good
is The Hague tribunal, them" And the
answer of the diplomat was:
1T is good for the settling of small inter-
national questions, which are not worth the
risk of a great war, such as the Alaska
and Venezuela boundary questions, the Ala
bama claims differences between reigns
or republics of secondary class" In fact
the second article of the tribunals consti-
tuition declares that Controversies of a Judi
c!al characer or relating to treaties exist
Ing beween two parties, and which can
not be adjusted by the ordinary method of
diplomacy, shall be submitted to a perma-
ment court of arbitration, provided
they do not relate to the vital interests to
the independence or honor of the two con-
interests of any third power.
AS to the points to be arbitrated at the
next conference" the Informant added
besides the question of the suspension of
armament. the program to be submitted to
the second peace conference at The Hague
is ALREADY a very large one and rich in
possibilities of agreements Notably
among the latter subjects are these:
Persia and Germanys attitude in Asia
Minor; also an announcement regarding
England's position regarding naval bases
in the Persian gulf; the Congo question
which has agitated especially America. and
In this connection French and German in
terests in the dependent states of the
Congo; England and Egypt, in which OBJ
jections to British management are
raised, and last, Germany in Africa. in
which especial attention is devoted to the
fact of that empires expansion as a colo
NAL power.
I'm analysing the worth of these ques-
tons the following has been pointed out
as being Of especial interest:
The Powers and the Colonies.
In 1899 the French consul at Muscat