The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-02-26
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
ADDRESSED ON INTERNATIONAL
 L4W WBK PRoR WooLSEY.


 sharp Differentiation Made Between Mediation and Compromise on the One Hand and Arbitration on Other Hague Conference Fostered Peaceful
 settlement of DimcuIties-Chamber of Commerce Much Perplexed by Re- ported Statements of Congressman
 sperry.
 A very interesting meeting of the chamber of commerce, presided over by Eovernor Woodruff, who is president of the chamber, was held in Chamber of Commerce hall last night. The feature of the evening was an address on "In- ternational Arbitration" by Professor Theodore $. Woolsey, ILL D., of Yale university
 In opening Professor Woolsey took occasion to thank the chamber for the courtesy it had shown in making him an honorary member. He said that in his talk he wished to touch only on the fundamental principles of arbitration with which, he said, people were not very well acquainted, and to tell what it meant and what it did not mean. He said that very much that has been said in favor of arbitration before the public has been a matter of sentiment. Much has been said of the economic waste brought about by wars, and rightly so. The nations should form community, and the quarrels that are sure to arise should be treated from that point of view.
 Professor Woolsey made sharp diff ferentiation between mediation and compromise, on the one hand, and ar bitration, on the other. In both of the former cases a concession is involved. In arbitration there is an exact decision on question submitted to an outside party in such way as to be final. He expressed himself as a strong believer in diplomacy, and said that the vic- tories of arbitration had in many cases been the victories of diplomacy.
 He treated the measures adopted at The Hague peace conference at some length. An essential part of the work of the conference was the appointment of jurists from each of the countries which took part. We have no system of International law, and this is one of the great weaknesses; but there can be no doubt that the work of the con ference had added considerably to our IL. tf11 part of their work was the appointment of a commission of inquiry.
 As a result of the work of the con- ference we have a strong presumption that tho nations will now resort to ar bitration where the case is not one that involves the national honor. On the whole, the powers are not satisfied with the work of the conference but it has had the good effect of bringing the na- tions to submit difficulties to diplomatic treatment.
 The danger of it all is that diplomacy will prevent the development of arbi- tration. What we want Is arbitration as substitute for war.
 After the address of Professor Wool sey, Judge Simeon E. Baldwin called the attention of the members of the chamber to the peace conference which is to be held in New York city from April IA to II. He suggested that the chamber send a delegate. No definite action was taken.
 Previous to and following the ad- dress of the evening various matters of business were taken up. H. c. Rowe, chairman of the committee on narbors, read correspondence he had had with Connecticut representatives at Wash ington and from Congressman Burton, who is chairman of the harbor appro- priations committee. From this corre- spondence 1t appeared that Congress- man Sperry had given MT. Burton as- surance that the city would pay half of the expense of dredging the harbor. The statements attributed to Congress- man Sperry are inexplicable, because the members of the harbor committee had been unable to find any city off, cial who knew that the city had given such an assurance in any way
 The chamber refused to endorse such a proposition. Until confirmation of Congressman Burton's statement is ob- tained no further action will be taken. However, the work of the committee was endorsed and the matter was re- committed to it.
 Tlle action of the congressional com 1nittee seems very unjust to the local merchants. Over $6000OO has been al- dotted for harbors in Fairfield county but when New Haven asks for $66000 which was, in fact, appropriated sev- eral years ago. but not used, she is turned down with $20,000
 The chamber endorsed the proposed legislation before congress concerning bills of lading, sales and warehouse re- ceipts by the following resolutions:
 Whereas, An effort is being made in the congress of the United States and also in the several states of this country, to secure uniform laws re- gardingbills of lading on merchandise shipment by making them negotiable in form, and also in protecting the holders thereof in securing the property represented by them; and
 srWhereas, The conference on uni form laws has also submitted to the legislature of Connecticut proposed uniform laws concerning sales and warehouse receipts, which laws will be of great benefit to our commercial in terests; now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That tilis chamber urges upon congress and the legislature ot +hfs state the passage of the proposed legislation concerning bills of lading