New-York tribune., 1908-07-21
pACIFICATION BY Law.

uvat is certainly novel and interesting and
we should say, a unique experiment WHICH, 10
heing made in Central America for the suppress
sion of Instructions and the maintenance OIL
peace in and among the states through appear
to q court. 1t is, of course, precisely the thing
which should be done in accordance with the
compacts which were made at Washington last
December. and we must regard it with SYM
nathetic approval and with an earnest nope
that IN spite of the exceptionally complicated
and ominous condition Of affairs 1t will prove
efticacious.
On the face of it, as we have already op-
served 1t might be regarded as dlSheartenlng
TO have so many and so serious Dickerings
arise So soon after the making or ueatles OF
peace and friendship. 1t is reported that tno
president of Guatemala has been conspiring
against the President of Nicaragua ana tnal
he has inveigled the President of Salvador TO
ioin him in the nefarious undertaking, and that
tbe two planned TO get Honduras to unite with
them against Nicaragua by means OF fomenthS
q revolution in Honduras which should depose
the President and put coparcener or lheirs
in his place. As matter or fact someWhal
serious insurrection was started in Honduras
which has now apparently been quelled- Here
then. was a most ominous situation. involving
four states. of precisely the kind which hitherto
has led to a general war among tnem
But instead OF gong W Wal Win A'N S~~'~"
which were believed to be intriguing or, at
least nermitting intrigues against her peace
Honduras made prompt appeal to the Central
American Court of Justice, at Cartago Costa
Rica which was created last winter, just as
a farmer might appeal TO justice OF the peace
against his neghbor whose cattle had Strated
upon his land whose boys had done nm
some mischief Action was begun under the
treaty which not only binds the republics not
TO modest one another. but also provides that
no government shall permit consplracies against
another state to be conducted on its SOIL. but
shall at once arrest and bring to trial all such
conspirators. and also that no government shal
in case of civil war in another state, intervene
in favor of or against either party. Honduras
protested that Guatemala and Salvador had
protected and fomented an insurrecton against
the government of Honduras which had been
organized in Salvador, and that therefore those
two republics were responsible for the material
and moral damage which Honduras had SUI
fered The government Of Nicaragua at the
same time made similar charges against Gnate-
mala and Salvador.
The court has acted promptly, 1t was
necessary for it TO do if its action was to be
4 efiicacious 1t asked Honduras and Nicaragua
for specific proof of their charges pending
fle receipt of which it ordered all the repub-
lies 10 refrain from hostlities of any kind to
cease military preparations and to reduce their
armies 10 a peace footing, and especially to
fulfil scrupulously their treaty obligations not
10 encourage protect political conspirators
or agifators, but TO arrest them and bring them
to trial for conspiring against neghboring
state lust as any state would IL they were
conspirilrr against itself. 1t now remains 20
I,e seen TO what extent and with what result the
orders of lie. court will be obeyed. The states
have declared that this court represents the
national conscience of Central America and
that they 'soIemny bind themselves to submit
ITO its Judgments and 10 lend all moral sup
..rort that may be necessary In order that they