Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-04-23

gave to the press a statement OF pc
culiar interest. The men were dele
gates sent by business organizations
to the Lake Mohonk Conference on IN
|ernational Arbitration, AMI the state
meN was this:
The men representing bu,iness or
ganizations in various parts Of the
country recognize the fact that inter
national arbitration as substitute
for war between nations Is prac
sical proposstion that praTacai
education should be encouraged as
the best means to hasten the day OF
business men, being vitality interested
in this, the greatest caus" OF humani'
", feel it their duty to assume a large
share of the financial burden OF this
educational campaign. They aprre'
ciate further that they should give
time and serious thought to the prob.
lens confronting those who are now
engaged in the international arhitrI'
tion movement"
This was no hasty or ill-considered
declaration. but al Official utterance
by men OF high responsibility. Re
sides the president Of the National
Board of Trade who presided. there
were present officers and delegates
OF three other national bodies and OF
nOrty-six leading chambers Of com
merce and boards OF trade in the
largest cities of the country, Represent
ing, in the words OF the president,
nearly three hundred organizations.
These Representatives business men
had merely put into words the con-
viction Of large and increasing body Of
Americans that the peace movement
an element promising early,
practical results. 1t must be admitted
that on one question-that of arma-
people. like other people.
are widely divided in opinion. and the
present great agitation against fur
Their increase in The navy seems lost
in the race fer naval supremacy. Tn.
fortunate as it is, the public Is gen.
orally unmoved by both ethical and
economic arguments against great ar
mament., and anything like general
agreement appears to be far in the
future.
But apart from this, the people OF
the world are coming into close &C.
cord en- the question of international
There Is strong feel
ing that armaments may be, after all,
only results. not causes, and that
through upright diplomacy. supple
mented by arbitration as made posi-
BILE BY past and future Hague Con
ferences and Tribunals. there may
eventually come about an information
al condition that will atrcphy ex.
cessive armament by making it I'M
necessary.
From this point OF view. recent
events are decidedly hopeful. A net
work of more than Seventy-five treat
les of arbitration. including the two
score negotiated by Mr.. Root for the
United States. bind twenty-five great
nations to reserve all save their vital
from armed strife. On May
list the Hague Tribunal meets to de-
ci e the Casa Blanca controversy be-
TIVE Germany and France, after
which it is soon to take up the New
foundland fisheries case. by the sub
mission CT which this country and
England terminate century or
dispute. Other cases are said to
await it in pending claims OF
the United States against Vene'
zula arbitration Of which. refused
by Castro, has been granted by Pres
ident Gomez. These three cases will
not only renew public interest in the
Tribunal. but will doubtuess stimulate
activity In giving life to
the proposed new Court Of Arbitral
Justice.
Ncr should we pass unnoticed such
events as the convention creating a
Joint High Commission to finally de-
termine our Canadian bOundry; the
self-restraint shown by the world, par
ticularly the United States. In not
using justifiablc force against the late
Castro government IN Venezula. the
three conventions among great Euro
pean powers neutralizing Norway and
agreeing to respect each others ter
ritory in the North and Baltic Seas;
the exchange of notes between Japan
and the United States relating to the
Far East: the fact that the Central
American republics. despite current
r,rmoas. have not yet violated their
agreement OF .9O7 to refer TO all Their
differences to the Court Of their ere
alton and that the Court has actually
settled two cases: and particularly is
j. well to consider how many years
ago tho Balkan crisis could have been
thrust into world politics without a
war.
L. ne x,norn and