New-York tribune., 1907-06-28
ARBITRATION UP FIRST
TO STRENGTHEN COURT.
Many Pozcers JYiSh to Make Re
course to Hague CUSTOMARY.

The Hague, June 27.-Au the delegates to the
Peace Conference agree that the first important
sitting viii deal with arbitration. which many
Of the powers. chiefly the United States. desire
10 strengthen 10 such a point as TO make II be-
come an institution which gradually viii lead to
the abolition Of war among nations as conf
dence in the justice Of ordinary courts gradually
leo 10 the abolition Of duellng among citizens
The principal efforts in this direction are con-
centIated in effort to render the Hague Ar
htration Tribunal really permanent giving it
such power, prestige and influence and above
all unshakable impartialty, as TO command uni
veTsaI confidence and also to simplify the pro-
cedure and lessen the expenses, thus making It
more accessible. NJ Martens has made PROPOSE
tfous on the subject Of good Offices, mediation
and on international commission Of inquiry. in
cluding the drawing up Of rules and regulations
for procedure in cases OF arbitration deduCed
from experience Of the last eight years, his
proposition being in reality notifications Of the
convention OF 1899. His object IS the broadening
Of arbitration and the making of It compulsory
in as many cases as possible while further re-
ducing the exceptions comprised under the terms
national honor" and vital interests"
Several countries, including the United States
Great Britain. Germany and Italy, have other
propositions on the subject of arbitration ready
10 be presented separately or amendments all
aiming TO make arbitration the ordinary course
10 be followed by disputants-in fact, trying TO
generate a feeling that It would be dishonorable
TO have recourse to force before appealing 10 the
law
The greatest difficulty is the system TO be fol-
lowed in the selection Cf the judges. as upon
their integrity and high character will greatly
depend the success of the permanent arbitration
court. The proposition that each slgnatory
power select two persons of lis nationality rec
ognized as eminent iurists Is considered I'M
practical, as It would transform the court INTO q
narliement of nearly g hundred members. Gen
eral Horace Porter has several Iloposluoi4s on
the subject. but they have not yet been an
nounced definitely drafted
Besides the proposition regarding aIplltdlloI'
Italv will present one against that OF Great
Britain on the laying OF automatic floating ana
submarine mines, as Italy needs mines 10 deIellu
her five thousand miles of coast she VIII aiSo
present an amendment TO the French Proposl@lloil @
on the opening Of hostilities not agreeing TO any
DELAY after declaration of war
COMMUNICATIONS OK ARBITRATION
,,h. ers+ subcommittee (arbtration) of the
first committee (arbitratiOn) met this rnorllIs'
NJ Bourgeois presiding. The latter read d com
,,,,,,,icerjon addressed by the Pan-Amerlcan
Congress, held st Rio de Janeiro 10 the govern
i7lent of the Netherlands, for TRANSMISSION !"
,be Deace conference. announcing the results
reached on the subject OF arbitration an" eA-
pressing, the wish TO see those principles adopted
iv the conference in p manner corresponding
with the interests Of the civilized worm N
7,l,,-e-aofs also read a communication from Ar
gentina regarding arbitration IN gehei4I an"
r.. relations 10 the Hague Court Of Arbitration.
The Argentine delegation submitted the 'eAI Oh
all the arbitration treaties concluded since lii9
conference Of 1899 and began readlhg lHe d'
duration convention Of 1899
n Bourgeois therefore invited suggestions on
Tho subject He pointed cut that the conference
Is a diplomatic assembly and not a parIla!ieil,
adding that the reading Of articles dld hol liltS
their adoption. Eight articles We're read WIN
ont observations. except from Joseph IL ChoaIe'
who proposed the addition 10 Article u OF ! a''
II ,he words And TO the desirable end, thaI
tho signatory powers should offer their gooa
afHcos and mediation
T,r F4agarrIr president Of the subcommittee
addressed the members. saying that the ques-.
rious referring to the bombardment OF unue
Tended towns. and on, and the laying OF
mines although technical. have also lurlolcal
character which must be defined IN huInanl-
tartan way thus helping the cause Of peace.
Tho president divided the subcommittee INTO
two rarts one for study Of the question "I lhe
.o9nr5ardment of harbors and the other to dls-
-ae= The laying Of mines, proposing that the
-.aters begin with discussing The latter as
being less complicated.
count Tarnfeui Italy) and NJ Tcharykoff
tP .--la3 announced propositions "n the subject
Of the boubarInent Of harbors and Italy. ia
nan Brazil and Holland announced amendments
10 The proposition referring 10 the laying OF
mines and torDedoes
Al the meeting this afternoon Of The sub
committee on the bombardrnent Of harbors, etc,
General Horace Porter's proposition in regard
~ the bombardment Of unfortified towns was
chiefly dealt with. Joseph H Choate General
r.
present The sub-commlttee also discussed the
application Of the Ped Cross convention to
naval warfare.
PROPOSITIONS SUBMITTED.
The German proposition referring TO the treat
ireut Of neutrals In the territories Of beGerenti
erufains twelve articles II deals with the DEF
milton Of the services which neutrals are forbid
den To undertake in favor Of belligerents, WITH
tro iuyiolability Of the property Of neutrals ana
ai- .nGennities to be paid TO them in case OF
damage
Major General Yerrnoloef IRussia). the sub
1ect Of the opening Of hostilities, presented the
following question:
VIII the conference maintain the present un-
determined conditions or IN some way regulate
this question:
General YerrnoloT added that not changing the
status QUO which entities countries to open hos
tGities without warning. would mean an increase
Of ornaments and war preparations in time OF
peace while international regulations might es-
tablish an interval OF time between the rupture
Of diplomatic relations and the beginning OF NIL
ttary operations thus rendering peace more Sc
cure.
The French proposition regarding the rights