The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-17

Attributing 10 Secretary OF State Phil
ander c. Knox the honor of finally SOW
ing the greatest problem which came
before the second Hague conference, Jo-
seph II. Choate. former Ambassador 20
Great Britain. last night stirred the bril-
liant assemblage gathered in the Pan
American administration building TO such
an outburst OF enthusiastic applause as
has seldom occurred in Washington.
ITO Mr. Knox" said the former Am
bassador. must go the honor for the
evolution of plan whereby the nations
of the world can select judges agreeable
to all to compose a permanent tribunal
at The Hague for the settlement Of in
ternational disputes With this tribunal
actively engaged in its labors. we can
truly say that the dream of a Utopia,
a Warless world. may soon cease to re-
main dream IL will become a reality"
This declaration OF Mr.. ChOate made
in the course OF his address before the
Society for Judicial Settlement of Inter-
national Disputes, was the signal for con-
tinued applause and cOngratulaton from
the entire gathering. Mr. Choate's sub
ject was the Court of Arbitral Justice
as recommended by the Second Hague
Conference" AS a delegate 10 the con-
ference, he outlined its work. and the
efforts of the nations of the world repre-
scented to agree upon the establishment
of a permanent court of arbitration.
Great Question Not Settled.
The consensus of opinion was, Mr.
Choate said, that fifteen judges be named.
but trouble then arose as to the manner
in which those judges were to be selected.
The great nations Of the world offered to
submit TO a ballot OF the delegates. They
offered TO have each nation ballot for one
man, the names thus chosen to be writ
ten on slips of paper. The names thus
secured would then be drawn by lot and
the resulting list TO constitute the judges
Of the court. Our own country even
agreed TO withdraw entirely from the race
for these international judgeships. but the
conference ended without a settlement of
the greatest question which it had faced.
The proceedings of the third session
OF the society were opened by James
Brown Scott, president of the organiza-
ton.
ut is very appropriate" said Mr., Scott,
that we should meet here in this great
memorial TO the peace of the republics
OF the western hemisphere. Their aims
are our aims, their hopes our hopes, their
ambitions our ambitions. Could ali the
nations OF the world be so gathered here
tonight, what might We not realize?"
AS the presiding officer of the evenings
deliberations, Mr. Scott introduced Oscar
S. Straus, Ambassador from the United
States to Turkey Mr.. Straus spoke
feeliEgly Of the great problem faced by
the society and expressed his earnest
hope that they might be realized. He
then introduced Jonkheer j. Loudon, Min
lister from the Netherlands.
Il wish to convey to your society"
said Minister Loudon, ''the assurance Of
the cordial sympathy its efforts call forth
in Holland. at The Hague. the country
and the city which at the present day
may truly term themselves permanent in
ternational hosts
Hirst Warmly Greeted.
lyon the introduction of Francis W
Hirst, editor Of the Economist London.
and author of the ''Arbiter in Council, {"
Mr.. Straus read the dispatch sent out
last night from Ottawa. Canada. to the
effect that the Canadian Parliament is to
ask England to take immediate steps to
make a compact with the United States
for everlasting peace.
Mr., Hirst was greeted with enthusiastic
applause. not only because he represented
the only other English-speaking nation of
the world. but because, having heard the
address Of Mr.. Justice Riddell. from Can
ada. on the evening before. the audience
awaited with interest the utterance of the
mother country
Devoting himself for the most part to a
careful resume of the problems which lie
before an International court. Mr. Hirst
paralleled the workings OF arbitration and
litigation His main thought followed
largely that expressed on the evening be-
fore, by Senator Root, that 1t was not so
much an unwillingness to arbitrate that
kept nations from such settlement of their
disputes As a fear Of becoming involved
in long litigation.
Discussing the Supreme Court as the
prototype of the International court,
Andrew J. Montague. formerly governor
OF Virginia, presented an able and