New-York tribune., 1908-05-04
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
PEACE OR VAR?
The Example Of Central america
and the Work at The Hague.
To the Editor @. The Tribune.


Sir: May l suggest these few facts of present
interest or Central Americas peace experiment.
on justice for the Hague conference. the COM
| ing Lake Mohonk conference and the protest
of the Peace Society firm foundation for
editorial by you, sir, in your powerful paper?
First-Central America and revolutions have
become so associated in the public mind that 1t
perhaps, little hard 10 appreciate the signif-
ccnee Of the Central American Peace Conference
held in Washington last winter at the suggestion
OF the United States of Mexico. The fact remains,
however. that Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua.
Guatemala and Salvador, with a common Ian
guage, race and climate seem at last TO have rec
ognized the folly of allowing petty disturbances
hardly deserving 10 be called wars-to check the
prosperity which nature has so generously placed
within their reach. The conference provided for
q Central American Court Of Justice to which all
differences among the governments are TO be re-
ferred; neutralzed Honduras. thereby making war
geographically almost impossible; placed a severe
damper political egitators and professional rev
olutionists by refusing to recognize any future
government established by revolutionary methods
and not the deliberate choice of whole people:
and provided for international bureau and
other agencies looking to ultimate federation of
the five countries into single state.
Though Central America is not a power in in
ternattona politics. the world will watch with in
what IS probably the strongest peace agree
ment reached between like number of
states And the fact that all the Central American
governments have evidenced their ea-nestness by
ratifying the conventions gives promise of its
success Meanwhile. what the countries involved
expect of it viii doubtless be made clear in the
addresses 10 be delivered by the ministers of
Costa Pica and Of Nicaragua at the Lake Mohonk
conference this month.
Second-The announcement that the Lake Mo
honk conference at It's meeting this month will
devote special attention setting forth the re
suits of the second Hague conference revives In
terest in the work of the who met at The
Hague last year. And the real facts are be-
coming available is beginning to appear that
the pessimistic views prevailing in many quarters
at the close of the conference not altogether
well founded The Hague conference was not
legislative body in which majority ruled;
had ii been. would now have general treaty
Of obligatory arbitration, an international court
with 4 permanent bench-perhaps even an agree
ment on limitation Of ornaments. But when We
remember that forty-ffve nations were represented
and that substantial unanimity was required to
adopt any proposition remembering too, the DIFF
1culty of securing unarimity in gatherings where
racial and temperamental differences are infinitely
less marked than at The Hague), il is a matter
or qualification that the conference agreed on so
many points 1t gave the world a decree that
henceforth a offer of arbitration must always
precede the use Of force for collection Of con-
tract debts 1t provided for international prize
court to which appeals may be taken from bassed
decisions Of national prize courts; 1t resolved
that a third conference. in about eight years,
should take up and continue its work under inter
national direction; it gave TO either party 10
controversy the right 10 publicly ask the services
Of the Hague tribunal, thereby forcing its ad-
versary to arbitrate to publicly admit its fear
or its unwilIingness 10 do So thus doing away
with the former inCongruous requirement that
two nations the verge OF war must first agree
ask for arbitration; it extended the work Of the
Red Cross TO naval warfare, and IT greatly i'm
proved the Hague conventions OF 1899 by making
mediation good Offices and commissions OF In
quiry more easily offered or invoked
Services Ike these should not be lightly esti-
mated Nor should it be forgotten that the prin-
cipIe obligatory arbitration received the votes
OF thirty-two of the forty-fve nations which,
through than sixty treaties OF arbitration al
ready in existence and others being negotiated by
the United States have given or are giving express
sion Of their sincerity. And II the conference did
not create permanent International court it left
nothing lacking save the apportonment of judges,
and IT arranged that this may be made by the ma
tions through diplomatic channels Plans for the
organization and procedure of the court ready,
and in d recent address before the New York State
Bar Association January a 1898, Hon. Joseph II.
Choate stated that Secretary Root believes It posi-
BILE for the nations TO agree as 10 judges and to
put into operation before the third Hague
conference Meanwhile. the present Hague trib-
1lnaI remains and Is soon to decide the Nawfound-
land fisheries case which the United States and
Great Britain will submit TO II
Thfrd-The programme OF the fourteenth annual
meeting Of the Lake NIohouk Conference Inter
and 22d OF this month indicates adherence TO the
usual policy of the conference to act clearing
house for public opinion. Its list OF speakers is
representative including juTists. diplomats bust
ness men, editors and clergynen.
Perhaps the greatest public service the confer
ence can perform this year viii be TO set forth
sqI!areI. Just what the second Hague conference
did Considerable uncertainty on this point stiu
exists in the public mind and much Of II is doubt
less unjust to the men who went to The Hague. /
Two Of these men are 70 participate in the Mohonk
rIace themselves on record. and where, too. they
may meet in discussion some Of the ardent peace
advocates who profess dissatisfaction. al least
dtsa ppointrY?enr. with the results at The Hague
Interest Will also attach TO the addresses OF the (
Costa Rican and Nicaraguan ministers, two Of the |
diDlon1ats who participated III the recent Central
American Peace Conference and in the drafting OK /
that remarkable series of conventions designed 10
insure peace in Central America.
With all his fuss over the question OF two or
four battleships and with Admiral Evans fleet |
a-ousing the enthusiasm Of all nations, it will be
10 observe whether the opponents of !
naval nolicv like ours will force the Lake Mohonh /
conference at its coming meeting TO break its |
silence Of last year on the question of limitation !
OF arnlaments.
Fourth-The protest against the increase Of the !
navy Of the Peace Society OF this city appears on
page $3.50 Of Volume -, Congressional Record
No s. of March H. last
WILLIAM HENRY KNOX.