Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-12-16
PREfACtS ARGUMENT IN
FAVOR Of ARBlT RATl0N
Toronto Judge Addresses Conferences
at Washington on Subject of Judi
cial Settlement OF Disputes--Ce-
elares Worst Result by Arbitration
Enormously Better Than Wars.


William Renwick Riddell, Kings
Bench Division. High Court of Justice
for Ontario, Toronto, spoke on Tn
ternational Relations Between the
United STAG and Canada" lie pre-
faced his argument In favor OF arbl-
tration by the statement that a M
ton of eight million neighbors to
nation OF eighty must needs look with
troubled eye upon everything which
might induce the lattes to use force
against II, and with favor Upon every
thing that might remo,, in whole
or In part any chance OF AK red con-
fiict.
The speaker swept aside the idea OF
annexation with the declaration We
have determined TO remain Canadians
and to remain British" and he e.
pressed his conviction that the Amer
lean people never would try TO force
their citizenship upon nation OF
freamen. Thee Is indeed species
of war going on in tariffs, he declar-
ed. but war OF the other and worse
kind. such as England and America
fought a hundred years ago, never
should have been and IL was to be
hoped that the reign OF common
sensa and good feeling would con-
tinue in the future.
Proud o. Record.
The speaker turned TO the history
OF the settlement II disputes between
the United States and Canada. which
he declared was record of which
each should be proud This began
with the treaty of 1888 providing for
the arbitration OF the question as TO
the location OF the St. Croix River
and was followed by the arrangement
for compensation of owners OF ships
irregularly seized in IS02. by the err
bitratioa OF the ownership OF Grand
MaHan and the Passamaquoddy Is
lands in 1914. and then by similar ar
rangements of boundary disputes IN
the Great Lakes and the Iroquols
River sections. Then there were
treaties for the compensation OF slave
owners: for the settlement OF claims;
for the suppression of the slave trade
and the definition of fishing rights
Nest important was the treaty OF
Washington OF 1871 with It's ample
provisions for the settlement OF DIS
pufes growing out OF the coast hsher-
les and of Civil War claims and OF
the international boundaries on the
Pacific. The seal fisheries treaty OF
1892 and the Alaska boundary treaty
OF the following year resulted In the
yravest consequences. Then there
was the general arbitration treaty OF
1908. which while between Great Brit
ain and the United States directly
concerned Canada The Waterways
Convention OF 1909 was a most valua-
BILE contribution TO the cause NJ
peaceful adjustment Of disputes for
IL really provided for the creation OF
a miniature Hague Tribunal " was
hard to see how a more comprehen-
sive clause could be defined than that
mart Of the agreement which covered
every dispute. he said
Convention Of Value
The Rush-Bagot convention OF 1871
regarding the number OF war vessels
to be allowed en- the Great Lakes was
Of infinite value L had been depart
ed from in many instances the ca
madam government having consented
10 the admission TO the Lake waters
Of half a dozen small American gun
boa:s which were ostensibly to BE
ut co lOI tE3lul.t Jul 49,
1T may be well for the United
States he said. TO consider vhe;h>f
Il is not unvise that even the letter
OF the agreement should be set aside
Canada would be considered uhzrS-
cious were she TO refuse 70 consent
to other ships being allowed to pass
ND the canals for use on the LAKES.
II wosid look as though she feared
a hostile movement on the part o.
her neighbor But both parties
thoirhf that the sgreemsnt vas one
that should Be made and when made
should be continued and one raiher
fails 10 sc Why the convenience q
one party should lead 70 itt modin-
cation
Settlement Of Disputes
Referring again 20 the provision 10
ne waterways convention for The -
tiemenf Of disputes by comrt1slon
the speaker pointed oat taai ~
weakness vas the lack 81 prosi<io7
making The arbitration Of the cofarnis-
sion appiy automatically. Under the
Canadian form 81 government = ~as
Easy enough 10 record Tie sousert
thrrukf TIE Dominion Cabinet 10
fCoannusz on Peoria psEs)