The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-10-18
THE UNITED STATES
NEVER RETREATS
Timely Address to Peace
Conference.
Arbitration Committee Adopts Dec
laration by Count Tomielli, of Italy,
Favoring the Principle of Abligatory
Arbitration United States and Japan
Abstain From Voting.

the Hague (By Cable) The ar
bitration committee of the Peace
Conference adopted an important
declaration drafted by Count Tor
nielli, of Italy, that the conference
unanimously favors the principle of
obligatory arbitration. The United
States, Japan, Hayti and Turkey abb
stained from voting. Joseph H.
Choate, of the American delegation,
made strong and yirile speech. in
which he explained the abstentation
of the american delegation. He was
frequently interrupted by applause.
That the United States did not re-
treat was the predominant note in
Mr.. Choate's address, which was at
the same time a warning and re-
prOach. He gave an admirable eX-
position of the firmness of his con-
declaring that nothing had
shaken his belief-that an interna-
tional bureau, to act as a chancellory
of the court of arbitration of 1899
should be instituted as soon as nine
powers adhered to the proposal in
order that the project of obligatory
arbitration should take more con-
crete form than was given it by the
resolution of today, when it was
voted upon by 81 states. Continu-
ing, Mr.. Choate explained the situa-
ton.
He said that although the immedi-
ate results of the present conference
were distinctly limited, he sincerely
hoped that each successive confer
ence would make the position reach
ed at the preceding conference its
points of departure, so that, by sue
cessive steps, results ultimately
would be obtained that in the be-
ginning had appeared quite impos-
sible.
I'VE must always keep in mind,
the speaker went on, the promotion
of this process by which the progress
i've development of international JUS
tice and peace may be carried on
1t may well be said that the most
valuable services rendered civiliza-
ton by the second Peace Conference
will be found in the progress made
in the matters upon which the dele
gates reach no definite agreement.
I'm the matter under discussion
we carried the business as far as our
instructions permitted, namely, if no
agreement was reached it would be
better to lay the subject aside or
refer it to some future conference,
in the hope that intermediate consid
Grafton might dispose of the objec-
lions.
I'VE regard the present resolution
as a very decided and serious retreat
from the advanced position in favor
of obligatory arbitration which the
committee had reached, and one
which, in our judgment, cannot but
retard the imperial progress of the
cause of arbitration in general.
Therefore, we cannot conscientiously
vote on this resolution, and / am in
structed by the American delegation
to abstain from voting"
1t was much commented upon
that, contrary to the fears that had
been expressed, the United States did
nothing to induce the Latin-Ameri-
can delegates to follow in her
course of today. Questioned on this
subject, Mr.. Choate said:
I'VE take care of ourselves; we
are neither the guardians nor the
patrons of Latin-America.
1t was also noticed that Mr.. Choate
merely abstained from voting, while
he might we'll have defeated his OPP
ponents by voting against the resolu-
ton. This course would have robbed
it of unanimity.