Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-13
As Outlined by Sec, Knox
Meets With Favor.
Foreign Powers Express Ap-
prevail Of The Idea.
will Not Abolish War But Will Do
Much Toward That.

nlent officials have received with much.
satisfaction during the past few days
tidings leading them to believe that
several Of the principal powers OF Eu-
rope are considering favorably Secre-
tary KnoX's proposal to the nations
looking to the establishment of a per-
nanent international court of arbitral
Justice. While no formal or definite
answers have been received to the
Joint note addressed to the powers,
diplomats mere and abroad recognize
the great importance of the PROPOSE
ton from an international standpoint.
In discussing the scope and jurisdic-
ton OF the proposed court, a state de-
nartment official familiar with the plan
explained today that it was not the
intention directly to suppiant the in
teInaticEal prize court established as
= result Of the second Hague confer
nee; nevertheless he made it clear
that had that court been thoroughly
satisfactory in it's operation, new
court would not have been suggested.
The so-called permanent court as at
present constituted, is merely a panel
Of judges, and experience is held to
have shown that the selection of these
Judges is a very difficult task. Besides
that. the tribunal, when constituted
decides only the particular case sub
Elitted to it and with that decision
rassed out of existence; a new case
requires a new tribunal. This Tempo
rary character of the court results in
n lack of continuity in policy. Because
If the delays incidental to the erec-
ton of each bench and the enormous
expense of it's operation, only six cases
have, up to the present time, been
submitted for it's adjudication.
The present prize court is of limited
jurisdiction and it's very existence pre-
supposes the existence OF war, for it
is only in time of war that neutral
property can be captured and confis-
Gated. The acceptance by the nations
of Secretary's KnoX's proposal, would,
it is urged, endow the world with
its first truly permanent International
tribunal, adequate to decide the con-
troversies arising in the circumstances,
either of peace or of war.
Secretary Knox's proposal is simply
20 enlarge the scope and character of
the prize court, whose composition he
considers satisfactory if not ideal.
Although the court would have no
mower to enforce it's decisions, eXpe-
rence is cited as showing that inter-
national arbitration awards always
have been accepted by the parties In
the event of war the propriety of ac-
tons affecting neutral rights would be
determined by a tribunal, the over
whelmng majority of which would
represent neutral nations. Neutral in
terests would no longer be at the
mercy of helligerent privilege.
The state department official who
presented these considerations in favor
of the court went on to say:
1.-THE acceptance of this simple de-
vice would at a stroke, it would seem
realize the hopes and aspirations Of
centuries by the establishment at The
Hague of a tribunal permanently in
session. prepared to receive and ad-
Indicate all cases submitted to its ar
5itrament. without the difficulties and
delays al present incident to the for
nation Of temporary court There
would grow up an accumulation OF
coherent and continuous precedents to
establish p compact. enlightened and
self-consistcnt body of international
law.
"The court would not abolish war,
but it would settle by judicial means
controversies which, if unsettled,
might lead to war. It's creation would,
therefore. mark an epoch in interna-
tional relations and the United States.
which by Jays treaty has practically
created modern arbitration, would en-
dow the world with an institution cal
culated to make the resort to arbitra-
ton, easy, inexpensive and judicial"