Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-07
PRESIDENT TAFT SANCTIONS IT
Great Aid Toward Proposed Court of
Arbitral Justice.
KNOX FINDS IT GOOD
Will Further Existing Aims of the
Department of State,
SENATOR ROOT WRITES LETTER
Comments on the Failure of European
Mind to Comprehend Meaning
of Unbiased Judicial
Action.

AeNlOns
BALTIMORE, Nd, Feb. 6-There was
organized tonight at the residence OF Theo-
dore Marburg, the American Society for
the Judicial Settlement OF International
disputes, which win devote itself princi-
pary to issuing articles by leading men OF
all countries on subjects indicated by the
title OF the organization and to organizing
meetings .of national scope in various parts
of this country from time to time with
view to educating the people as to the
desrability of promoting the peace Of the
world by settling points OF International
controversy in the same general way In
which differences between individuals are
now settled. During the meeting the fol-
lowing letters we're read;
WHITE HOUSE. WASHINGTON, Jan.
81 191O.-My Dear Mr., Marburg: have
learned with interest OF the plans to found
an American society for the judicial settle
ment Of international. disputes
THE leaflets, which you propose to pub
lish, together with the meetings of national
scope, which you are planning to hold
from time to time, may have a very great
! influence on the development of public
opinion this important subject. If the
proposed court of arbitral justice at The
Hague becomes an accomplished fact there
viii still remain the task OF securing the
adhesion Of number of powers to the
| court and the very important task OF so
cultivating opinion in various countries as
! to incline governments to resort to the
court when occasion calls for it, There Is
| no other single way in which the cause of
peace and disarmament can be so ef-
fectively promoted as by the firm estab-
! lishment OF a permanent international court
of justice. Sincerely yours,
WILLIAM II. TAFT"
Work Already Begun.
DEPARTMENT. OF STATE. WASH
INGToN, February g. 1elo-My Dear Mr..
Marburg; You are right in assuming that
take not only a keen personal but Off
eial interest IN the, movement forlswhich
4 your society Is TO be orTgnisesf for as you
are doubtless aware. have in an Identical
circular note, dated October 49, 1909, urged
the powers to invest the international
prize court with the Jurisdiction and fupc-
tions of a court of arbitral justice, thus
completing the work OF The Second Hague
peace conference by carrying into effect its
recommendation that the court of arbitral
justice be constituted through diplomatic
channels Should the identic note be ia
vorably received and should the court of
arbitral justice be thus constituted the
consentipg nations would have a perman-
ent international tribunal for the judicial
determination of controversies arising out
of peace as well as war and II cannot be
doubted that such a tribunal would in
, large measure render to nations the SER
. vices which national courts have per
formed for private lltigants BY the set
tlement of controversies susceptible of ju-
dcial determination before they have
reached an acute stage. the causes of war
2 would be minimized and first step taken
r toward the gradual decrease of armament
: "Regretting my Inability to testify by my
! presence the great interest l have in the
4 organization Of your society, 1 am, Very
n sincerely yours, P. c. KNOX"
Views of EIihu Root.
# UNITED STATES SENATE, WASH
t INGTON, Feb, g., 1910-My Dear Mr.. Mar
# burg: 1 beg to say to your guests that l
e sympathize very strongly with their OBJ
e ject and believe that the proposed organl-
Is zation is adapted to render a great public
s benefit. 1 assume that the new organization
Is is to have a definite, specific object which
may be indicated by the emphasizing OF
W the word judicial" in it's title to indicate
rs a distinction between that kind OF settle
lie ment of International disputes and the or
E. dnary arbitration it has been understood
Id in the past and is generally understood
Is now. l assume that you are going to urge
In that disputes between nations shall HI
l. settled by judges acting under the judicia
x sense of honorable obligating with a ju
at dicial idea Of impartialty rather than BY
Of diplomats acting under the diplomatic ideai
of honorable obligation and feeling bound
Dn to negotiate settlement rather than 4
BY pass without fear or favor upon question:
al of fact and law.
g. 1T seems TO me that such a change Il
the fundamental Idea of what an arbitra
- ton should be. is essential to any YER
great further extension Of the idea Of arbi
tration. / have been much surprised how
ever to see how many people there are =
ability and force who do not agree wit
. this idea at all, particularly people on tn
Y other side of the Atlantic, The extraord
nary scope Of judicial power In this coun
try has accustomed us to see the opera
tions of government and questions arisin
u between sovereigns states submitted t
uS judges who apply the test of conformity
established principles and rules OF cor
duct embodied in our constitutions.
III seems natural and proper to us that IN
v" conduct of government effecting substaT
10 tial rights, and not depending upon que'
tons Of policy, should be passed upon b
M the courts when occasion arises. II
hu easy therefore, for Americans to gras
De- the idea that the same method OF settl,
OK ment should be applied to questions grow
'ut Ing out Of the conduct Of nations and n,
ilu involving questions Of policy.
he .,In countries. however. where the cour
exercise no such power, the idea Is qul
'ss new one TO most people, ana II Il is
ay prevail. there must be process OF educ
MIS- tion. Such process win naturally recel'
ne its chief impulse in the United States, an
he l hope your new society win give such
os- impulse with vlgor and accurate direction
his With kind regards ] am always
ic- Faithfully yours.
lad ELIHU ROOT"
he UNITED STATES SENATE, wAsT
INGTON. Feb. 3.-My Dear Mr.. Marburg: