The Washington herald., 1908-04-05
THE NESTOR OF AMERICAN PEACE-DR EDWARD EVERETT HALF

audaefty the boldness Of any prophet who
should have spoken one hundred years
ago had he proclaimed what We all know
is true to-day The confederation Of the
world which / have prefgured does not
approach IN difficulty and ilnprobabiity
the union Of the American States which
has been welded by the heat and light Of
one hundred years, and by their blows as
we'll"
It was from Russia. and not from the
United States. that the proposal which
resulted in the first Hague conference ac-
tually came. On that point DR.. Hale's
1879 sermon did not prove exact prophecy.
It is worth noting, however, that the first
definite proposal of such a conference did
come from an American democrat. and
not from a Russian Gar. It came from
the Massachusetts, Peace Society in 1876,
in the form OF a memorial to the Presi-
dent Of the United States, written by
William Ellery Charming.
The words Of DIT Hale's 1SS9 sermon
We're remembered at the arbitration con-
ference which met at Washington in the
spring of 1896, and were read b. Senator
Edmunds. the president Of the conference,
as a remarkable prophecy of the things
for whose promotion the conference was
assembled. Dr. Hale sat on the platform
as his prophetic words were read He
has lived 10 see his prophecy far on the
road 70 fulnllment The WoTld-COurt is a
fact Treaties Of arbitration between the
United States and many other nations ara
certainties of the near future. It is. in
deed. disappointing that we should not
have the honor OF being "A party to the
first general arbitration treaty. That
honor belongs TO England and France.
But arbitration treaties between the va
rious nations are now multiplying rapid
ly. and in this movement the United
States, whose course in connection with
The Hague conference and The Hague
tribunal has been so noble ana efficient,
viii not be laggard.
Il WAS i-zif dozen years before the
Washington conference OF 1S96-it was
while the Pan-American Congress Of 1896
was In sessiou-that DIR. Hale published
an important article. the first clearly out
lining his plan OF permanent court OF
arbitration with specific reference at the
time TO the republics Of North and South
America. The significant passage Of the
article is the following. and it is note
Z = ADtAtlA titaA what tls tsFlF NtA- -e5f--A' ANt
the Western world is almost exactly what
he was presently suggesting for the world
as whole and essentially what The
Hague conference in 1893 adopted:
''The meeting Of the American congress
has TO object so important as the estab-
/ lishment of q system Of arbitration as to
any question which may arise between
/ the different states Of North and South
America. II is too much forgotten that
/ An essential part of the prosperity and
success of the United States as a nation
/ is the system by which questions be-
tween the States are adjusted. Many a
contest between neighboTing and rival
states has been adjusted by the Supreme
/ Court, while most Of the citizens Of each
State did not know that there was any
question Thus the Supreme Court ad-
! justed a boundary question between Mas
| sachusetts and Rhode Island. Of more Inn
portance than many boundary questions
which have plunged Europe into war; and
/ il would be fair TO say that half the peo-
pie of both States did not know that there
/ had been any controversy.
/ 1T is not enough for the Congress tc
vote that in the future questions Of dis.
pute shall be referred to courts Of arbi-
/ tration When questions assume impor-
tance, after they have been neglected, and
when they have had chance 10 grow in
consequence. it may be too late 70 consti-
/ tute proper court of arbitration. The
demand of our time is that permanent
court of arbitration shall be appointed al
once and shall be I'm readiness to receive
/ ali such questions as soon as they arise
/ Indeed. il may be possible for such q
court 90 give such counsel as shall solve
1 the question AZ It's very birth
such a court should consist of states