The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-06-10
UNITED States
TO STAND FOR
ARBITRATION
THIS COUNTRY'S DELEGATES TO
TO BE INSTRUCTED TO BE
EXPLICIT ON THIS.
PEACE TRIBUNALS FOUR CASES
VIII Take an Advanced Position
On Opening of HOstili-
tiese Question.

WASHINGTON, June 9.-Natur-
ally, having In way gathered the
second Hague conference, the Wash
| ington government has shown the
deepest interest in every detail of the
programme of important subjects to
be considered by that conference. OF
| the first order of importance, accord
| ing to the American view, Is the
proposal that improvements be made
in the provisions of the existing con-
vention relative to a peace settle
ment of international disputes as re-
CARDS the court of arbitration and
| the international commission of in
quiry.
Instructions of the American dele
gates on this point are known to be
explicit. They are to do everything
in thei rpower to influence the con-
ference to enlarge the powers of the
| in dealing with arbitration cases,
and, above all, the effort is to be
made to bring more business before
the tribunal to induce nations to
| have more frequent recourse to this
| tribunal for the settlement of their
| disputes.
are disappointed at the very small
issue from this august tribunal.
Since it's creation it has passed upon
| Just four cases. First, was the Plus
case, involving the disposition of the
fund set apart by Mexico to satisfy
the Catholic church in California for
church property taken over by the
state. Second, there was the settle
ment of the question growing out of
the blockade of the Venezuela port
by the allied powers. Third was the
Alaskan boundary question. Fourth
was the decision of question that
had arisen between Great Britain and
Japan as to the exemption from tax
alton of foreign dwellers in Japan.
All but the last of these cases were
of American origin. In other words,
although serious international dis
putes have arisen and been adjusted
automatically or by force of arms
since the creation of The Hague tri-
bunal, America and Great Britain
have been the only parties to resort
to arbitration.
The American delegates will also
an advanced position in the discus
sion and treatment of of the second
article in The Hague programme,
namely, the additions to the laws and
customs of war on land. The details
of these propositions relate to the
opening tf hostilities, the rights
of neutrals on land, etc.
1t Is understood that an attempt
will be made by the American dele
gates to secure some general agree
ment as to the issuance of a declara-
tion of war in ample time before be-
ginning of actual hostilities to insure
reasonable protection of the rights
of neutral residents In the belligere-
ent countries and for neutral trade.
No country has taken more ad-
vanced position than America in the
liberal treatment of neutrals on the
high seas in time of war, therefore
the American delegates will give
strong support to the third article of
the programme, which, in substance,
proposes to minimize the exercise of
the right of bombardment and the
seizure of private property at sea.
On the latter point 1t may be recalled
that America was first among nations
to propose that private property on
the seas should be treated exactly as
is property on land in time of war;
that it should be exempt from seiz-
ure If not made up of contraband of
war, and if seized to meet naval ne
cessities, proper compensation
should be made to the owners.
America also takes a very liberal
view of contraband of war ,and her
delegates will seek to limit the list
by International agreement (some-
thing never heretofore accomplish
ed, SO as to avoid unjust seizures of
private property.
In the Spansh-American war
America was particularly indulgent
in the treatment of Spanish ships
that were caught in foreign ports at
the outbreak of the war, and, 1t may
be added Spain reciprocated in the
same spirit. The effort will be made
to give what was a mere courtesy at
that time the force of International
Continued on page six.)