The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
Conference In Washington
 Discusses World Peace CARNEGIE MAKES ADDRESS
Steel Magnnte Is Applauded for His Recent Gift and Talks on War
 and the Means of Bring ing Peace

l Washington December 15.-That the worst results of arbitration are incalcu- lably better than the best efforts ob- tained through war and that a perma- nent court of arbitral justice of judi cial and not of diplomatic character is the ideal for which humanity should strive in it's moral task of abolishing war was the prevailing sentiment of the open | ing session tonight of an international conference under the auspices of the American Society for Judicial Settlement of International Disputes.
 War itself, as we'll as extensive prep arations for 1t by immediate public ex- penditures was deplored. Andrew Car negie, the principal speaker of the even- ing, declared that 70 per cent of taxes collected by this country was spent on war or pensions connected with it. From Cardinal Gibbons, who pronounced the invocation, on through the speeches of Senor De La Barra, the Mexican am bassador; James Brown Scott, the presi- dent of the society; Senator Elihu Root of New York, William Renwick Rlddeil of the high court of justice. Ontario; Pres ident Benjamin Tde Wheeler of the Uni versity of California: John w. Foster, formerly Secretary of State there was concord of expression against war and in favor of judicial arbitration.
 | Carnegie's Gift AppIauded
 MT. Carnegies gift of $11,000,0o0 for a peace foundation, which shall attempt to abolish war between nations, was men, tioned frequently and the large audience of diplomats, international lawyers, for mer ambassadors and educators who gathered for the evenings session, ap- plauded the donor many times.
 Senator Elihu Root, who was select ed to head the new peace foundation referred to the gift fin presenting the various stages of thought and definite inquiry which has occurred in the past and now were made possible along more extensive lines. He extoled the high judicial conscience of the supreme court of the United States and said he believed the difficulty of arbitration in the past had not been an unwillingness on the part of the nations to submit to arbitra- ton, but doubt of seeing impartial de- cisions. He said arbitration commissions were selected from among diplomats. trained in different countries where con captions of law were various and too much recourse ultimately was had to diplomatic negotiation.
 Carnegie's Address
 Andrew Carnegie. the principal speaker of the evening. developing his subject, The Moral Issue In War from a review of recent events in the movement for a permanent court of arbitral justice, characterized "tht appeal to conscience, not to the pock. et," as the paramount question. He de. clared that the enormous sums na. tions are now spending for instruments of war are omniously excessive" anc added that he did not believe the mere cost of war or the greater cost oi ornaments meant to prevent wal would prove the most effectual deter rent to war itself. MT. Carnegie re- ferred to the newly created peace foun- dation only briefly, urging the Amer ican Society for Judicial Settlement of Information Disputes as well as other peace organizations not to fail to cooperate with the foundation in its single aim, the abolition of war be- tween nations.
 Creation of World Court
 You are engaged" said MT. Car negie. 'in hastening the creation of a world court for the judicial, as against the diplomatic settlement of inter- national disputes; as the reign of law already exists in civilized lands pre- venting private war between individ- uals, you labor to extend the reign of law over nations-a noble task which the steady growth of international law will some day render possible and tha, aq ir ba nit imagine. The peace movement has never vibrated so strongly among mer as at this moment. The present deplor. able condition of the leading nations Is rapidly bringing thoughtful mon oi all parties to the conclusion that some thing must be done and that something invariable lies in the direction of peace full arbitration of international dis putes. No other remedy Is ever sug- gested. There Is none. This In itself Is a great gain for when men see clear ly that there Is only one possible rem. edy it's application is near. President Taft was the first among rulers of na. tions to bridge the chasm between peace and war and point out the true path.
 Treaties Have LOopholes
 Many treaties have been made, bu, still the situation remains practically un. changed because with the chief nations these treaties have loopholes through which their very souls might escape Tie saw this and proclaimed that all questions should be submitted to arbitration, ever those affecting that figment called honor for such were the only treaties that could prevent the fear of the dan- ger of war which is ever threatening and Is far more disturbing than wal itself. which comes only at long intervals If at all Britain and ourselves agreed to such treaty in 1897, but it failed by three votes to obtain the requisite two. thirds majority in the Senate. Not tho slightest barrier exists provided the Sen ate co-operates in obtaining such treat, today which would bind the Englisi speaking race together. This good be ginning once made, other nations would soon follow, and we should be nearing ou goal. Disarmament would soon foi,oy as matter of course.
 'While some important powers still de clase that nations cannot submit all uues tions to a tribunal. others have quietl, gone on doing so. Argentina and Chil, were the first They erected a stat,,