The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-07

I | hope that this also may be accomplished | within the reasonably near future. | It Is believed that the establishment of
 these two tribunals will go a long way
 toward securing the arbitration of many | questions which have heretofore threat | ened and, at times destroyed the peace
 oe nations.
 Peace Commission | Appreciating these enlightened tenden- cies of modern times, the Congress at
 Its last session passed law providing for | the appointment of commission of five
 members ito tbe appointed by the Presi- | dent of the United States to consider the | expediency of utilizing existing interna- | tional agencies for the purpose of limit | ing the armaments of the nations of the world by international agreement, and of constituting the combined navies of the world an international force for the pres ervaton of universal peace, and to con slider and report upon any other means to diminish the expenditures of govern
 ment for military purposes and to lessen the probabilities of war"
 l have not as yet made appointments to this commission because 1 have invited and am awaiting the expressions of for eign governments as to their willingness to cooperate with us in the appointment of similar commissions or representatives who would meet with our commissioners and by joint action seek to make their
 work effective.
 Europe, Canada, Etc.
 Several important treaties have been negotiated with Great Britain in the
 past 12 months. A preliminary diplomatic agreement has been reached regarding the 1 arbitration of pecuniary claims which each government has against the other.
 This agreement. with the schedules of
 claims annexed, will, as soon as the | schedules are arranged, be submitted to l the senate for approval.
 An agreement between the United States and Great Britain with regard to the location of the international boundary line between the United States and Can aGa Tn ssamaquoddy bay and to the
 middle of Grand Mahan channel was 4 Ill d treaty concluded May 21, 1910. which has been ratified by both gov and proclaimed. thus making unnecessary the arbitration provided for l. p.5.4ous treaty of April Il, 1908. The convention concluded January Il, 1903, between the United States and Great Britain providing for the settlement of international differences between the
 United States and Canada, including the apportionment between the two countries of certain of the boundary waters and the appointment, of commissioners to ad- just certain other questions has been rat filed by both governments and pro- claimed.
 The work of the international fisheries commission appointed in 1908, under the treaty of April Il, 1908, between Great
 Britain and the United States, has result ed in the formulation and recommends ton of uniform regulations governing the fisheries of the boundary waters of Can ada and the United States for the purpose of protecting and increasing the supply of food fish in such waters. In compile Iii ha upon require congressional legislation to make them effective and for their en- forcement in fulfllment of the treaty stip- ulatons.
 Portugal
 In October last the monarchy in For tugal was overthrown, provisional re- public was proclaimed, and there was set up de facto government which was promptly recognized by the government or the United States for purposes of ordinary intercourse pending formal recognition by this and other powers of the govern mental entity to be duly established py the national sovereignty.
 Liberia
 A disturbance among the native tribes of Liberia in a portion of the republic Curing the early part of this year result ed in the sending, under the treaty oi 1862, of an American vessel of war to the disaffected district, anc the Liberian au- thorities, assisted by the good offices Of the American naval officers, were able to restore order. The negotiations whicn have been undertaken for the ameliora- ton of the conditions found in Lfper1a | by the American commission, whose re- | port I transmitted to Congress on Marcn | 9 last, are being brought to conclusion l and it is thought that within short time | practical measures of relief may be put | into effect through the good offices or l this government and the cordial co-opera- | ton of other governments interested in | Liberia's welfare
 THE NEAR EAST | Turkey
 | To return the visit of the special em-
 bassy sent to announce the accession or | His Majesty Mehemet V, Emperor of the Ottomans, I sent to Constantinople a | special ambassador who, in addition to | this mission of ceremony. was charged
 with the duty of expressing to the Otto- man government the value attached by | the government of the United States to
 increased and more important relations between the countries and the desire of | the United States to contribute to the | larger economic and commercial develop
 ment due to the new regime in Turkey.
 The rapid development now beginning | in that ancient empire and the marked l progress and increased commercial im- l
 via make it particularly opportune that xhe possibilities of American commerce in
 the near east should receive due atten-
 ton.
 | Montenegro
 | The National Skoupchtina having ex-
 pressed It's will that the principality of ! ~-ised to the rank of
 kingdom, tho Prince of Montenegro on <, .--s..i.ed the title of King
 of Montenegro. It gave me pleasure to
 accord to the new Kingdom the recogni- | ton of the United States.
 | THE FAR EAST
 The center of interest in far eastern affairs during the past year has again
 been China
 It Is gratifying to note that the negotia-
 tions for loan to the Chinese govern
 ment for the construction of the trunk