New-York tribune., 1909-03-07
MONARCHS MAKE
POOR ARBITRAT0RS
DECISIONS OFTEN CAUSE
SUSPICION.
King alfonso Agrees to Act IN Con-
fr0rerSy Bet1ceen Germany and
Great Britain.
Great Britain.
copyright, 1909. by the Brentwood comPany,l

Z,
Although King Alfonso is only twenty-three
wears old. and may therefore be justly consid-
cred As lacking in that judgment which is born
= . long experieDce in the affairs of state, yet
- has been invited by Great Britain and Ger
many IN act as arbitrator in the controversy
which has arisen between them with regard 10
the Walfsch Bay territory, on the west coast OF
Africa II Is a controversy the merits OF Whlch
II will he difficult TO determine without giving
offence to one or the other of the parties OF TO
both, and the verdict is bound to exercise very
innortant bearing upon the future economic ana
political welfare of British South Africa OF t"e
one hand and of Germany's West Afrlcah oe-
tendencies on the other. Perhaps it would nave
been wiser on the part Of the youthful InoiiSioi'
20 decline the invitation; but that it should nave
been rendered to him was an extremely gracious
compliment Of an international character oH
which he could not but feel deeply hohoFeu'
Moreover. it constituted a tribute of German
snd English confidence in the Il'eei4'S anu
,oftness Of nrinciple of the leading statesmen OF
spain, upon whom Don Alfonso VIII haturdlS
call to advise him IN the matter 1t Is Tor TINS
-esson 5,,e+ because it was a compliment not
aIone n himself personally but to the Spanish
,,a+io,. that Alfonso considers that he had no
,;gb+ n decline the request to undertake the
role of arbitrator and peacemaker between those
.vyo mighty empires whose differences have been
g source of so much uneasiness to the remainder
of the great powers for several years
Nonarcbs and chief magistrates of republics,
when they undertake TO act umpires in con-
rroversies between foreign nations, as a rule
+urn over the whole matter to their principal
legal and political advisers, and do not take
much further trouble about it, beyond afflx-
ing q signature to the opinion drawn up for
their approval by persons whom they employ
for the purpose, and in the selection of whom
the parties TO the dispute have no voice In
satisfactory as this is, the case becomes even
worse when the illUstrious arbitrator insists on
taking the matter in hand himself, under the
IMPRESSION that his throne or his high office has
invested him with a profound knowledge Of the
5Dtricacies Of international law, without ever
having studied the latter. The late King Will
lam of Holland for instance. when asked many
wears ago by the United States and Great Brit
ain TO determine the northeast boundary line,
on the subject OF which there was a difference
of opinion between the two countries, took his
tmpireship very much serieuX, insisted on
regarding himself as a very Daniel come TO
Judgment. declined TO accept either the Ameri-
can OF the English contention, and rendered
decision in favor OF preposterous frontier line
OF his own devising, which was not only unac-
ceptsble to both countries, but absolutely i'm
possible geographically as well politically.
Fortunately. the matter was subsequently, set
tied ana set straight by the Observation-Disclosures