Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-12
Several European Powers Said to
Be Considering the PROPOSE
ton Very FavorabIy.
1T WOULD MAKE FOR PEACE.
In No Way Intended to Supplant In
tcrnationnl Prize Court Established
BY Second Hague Conference.

Washington, Jan. Estate depart
ment officials have received with much
satisfaction during the last few days
tidings leading them to believe that
several of the principal powers OF
Europe are considering favorably Secy.
Knox's proposal to the nations look
ing to the establishment OF a per-
manent court of international arbi-
trail justice. While no formal or def
initc answers have been received to the
joint note addressed to the powers,
diplomats here and abroad recognize
the great Importance of the PROPOSE
ton from an international peace
standpoint.
In discussing the scope and 5urisdic-
tion of the proposed court state de-
partment official familiar with the
plan. explained today that 1t was not
the intention directly to supplant the
international prize court established as
a result of the second Hague confer
ence; nevertheless he made 1t clear
that had the court been thoroughly
satisfactory in its 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 n difficult task. Be-
sides that, the tribunal when con-
stituted decides only tho particular
case submitted to 1t and with that
decision passes out OF existence: new
case requires Il new tribunal. This
temporary character OF the court re-
suits in lack of continuity in policy
Because of the delays incidental to the
erection. only six cases have been sub
mitted up to the present time for its
adjudication.
PRESENT PRIZE COURT.
The present prize court Is of limited
jurisdiction. and it's very existence pre-
supposes the existence OF war, for 1t
is only in time of war that neutral
property may be captured and >confis-
Gated. The acceptance by the nations
of Secy Knox's proposal would, 1t Is
urged. endow the world with its first
truly permanent international tribunal,
sitting permanently and adequate to
the controversies arising In the circum-
stances either of peace or OF war. s's
Secy. Knoxs proposal is simply to
enlarge the scope and character of the
prize court. He considers its compost
( tion satisfactory II not ideal and he
proposes to invest it with the jurisdic
ton and functions of q court of ar
bitral justice. thus securing the adop-
tion of tho court as chamber of prize
court by single negotiation.
Although the court would have no
power to enforce its decision, expert
ence Is cited as showing that inter
national arbitration awards have al
ways been accepted by the parties and
1t is argued that permanent court
of arbitration would surely have the
support of the public opinion of the
world. In the event of war the pro-
prlety of actions affecting neutral
rights would be determined in a trib-
unal the overwhelming majority OF
which would represent neutral nations.
neutral interests would no longer be at
the mercy of belligerent privilege
WOULD REALIZE HOPES.
The state department official who pre-
sented these considerations in favor OF
the court went on to say:
1.-The acceptance OF this simple device
would at a stroke, it would seem. rea-
lize the hopes and aspirations of CEN
turtles by the establishment at The
Hague OF a tribunal permanently I'm
session, perpared to receive and adjudi-
cate all cases submitted to Its arbitra-
ton. without the difficulties and delays
at present incident to the formation
VI al tculpoldIS court aflu without cN-
pense to the litigating nations because
the new court had been sustained By
the nations party to It's establishment
Tho members of the court would bo
fitted by training to sit as judges;
there would grow up an accumulation
of coherent and continuous preccdents
to establish a compact enlightened and
self consistent body OF international
law.
The court therefore would in the
highest and best sense of the word,
be 4 court OF peace and its establish
| mont would not merely convert arbitra-
tion into q judicial proceeding, but the
Justice and reasonablepess of its deci-
s!ons would incline nations to make
frequent use OF It. 1t would not abolish
waY. but il would settle by judicial
means controversies which IL unsettled
might lead to war. Its creation would
therefore mark an epoch In intcrne-
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"