The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-21
SUNDAY, APRIL p. 1897.
The Peace Resolutions.

The resolutions adopted by the National
Peace Congress are devoid of the i'm
practicable propositions which many OBJ
servers feared might be the outcome of its
deliberations They coincide in the main
with official indications of American policy
at the coming Hague conference. though
II is somewhat singular that they contain
no specific Endorsement of Secretary
Roots proposal that international arbitra-
ton be inIrusted to a permanent judicial
court. thus substituting judicial for diplo-
matte action in the settlement of interna-
ttOnal controversies. The congress, how
ever, declared for the permanency of The
Hague conference. with periodical meet
ings for the consideration of International
problems, and for a general arbitration
treaty which President Roosevelt hopes
10 see adopted. as well as for an internal
tional commission of inquiry TO pass upon
the grounds of an international quarrel
before any actual resort to force. With
regard to disarmament, the congress sim
ply urged that our delegates to The
Hague be instructed 10 support the Brit
ish position in insisting on the c0nsidera-
lion of that topic by the conference. in
structions which. We understand. have al
ready been agreed on. These declarations
viii serve TO back up the course of the
American delegates at The Hague. as
representing the main current of American
public opinion, besides practically concur
ring with the official attitude of the GOV
eminent
Mr.. Bryan would have incorporated in
the resolutions a proposal 20 forbid the
lending of money TO a belligerent state by
neutral for the same reason that NUM-
tons of war may not be supplied by a
neutral state to a belllgerent. He would.
he said. have money made contraband of
war il is possible Mr.. Bryan was not ac-
curately quoted in the press reports Of his
remarks on this interesting topic. for
there is no question that the lending Of
money by one state to another for war
purposes is in contravention of the laws
of neutrality, and a cargo Of money des-
tined for beligeTent is, of course. as
much cOntraband of war as a cargo OF
powder and she'll Mr. Bryan doubtless
had in mind the immense sums which.
under present sanctions Of international
state from the subjects of a neutral state.
and without the aid of which few great
powers could nowadays carry on a pro
longed war. If such loans could be pro
hibited, war would. indeed. become we'll
nigh impossible, But the financial trans
actions of a beligerent state with the sub
jects of neutral are not regarded as COM
ing within the inhibition Of neutrality
laws, any more than are the purchases
by beIligerent of munitions Of war from
the subjects Of a neutral A broad distinc-
ton is drawn between the acts of indi-
viduals and the acts of the sovereign, that
which is prohibited TO the latter being al
lowed to the former. a distinction which
seems TO have been ignored in Mr. Bryan's
reported words Yet the proposal of the
Nebraska statesman has the support OF
eminent authorities on international law.
who hCld that neutral individuals may not
lend Money to individual states. ignoring
the distinction between neutral states and
neutral subjects in the same way that Mr..
Bryan apparently did. The actual prac-
tice of modern states. however. is stil
governed by the rule we have stated. ac-
cording TO which money is a form of
merchandise, and neutral individuals con
stantly trade in it with belligerent gov
ernments"
It may be that at some future day we
shall see such an extension of the scope
of the obligations of neutrals as that inn
piled in MIR. Bryan's proposal, the funda-
mental principle Of which has already
been accepted by such distinguished FUR
lists as BluntschH, Halleck. CaIvo, and
Phillimorei but for the present We must
content ourselves with the knowledge that
the influence Of international financIers is.
as q rule, strongly on the side Of peace;
SO that their attitude may be rightly re-
garded as constituting an important pre-
ventive check to war