New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-16
SECRETARY KNOX on AHERfCAN
DIPLOMACY.

The somewhat sighting opinions Of
American diplomatic aims and methods
which some affected to cherish years
ago have presuma bly, now been anan-
doned. and there will be few if any TO
dissent from the high tribute which MI.
Knox paid yesterday to the WORK OF MS
predecessors in our State Department,
and of their adiutants and representa-
tfves abroad. Certainly. if consistency
of aim and benevoIence of spirit are dip
lonnatic virtues-and it would be diff
cult to deny that they are among the
highest-American diplomacy must have
honorable rank. For there can be no
successful gainSaying Of Mr.. knox $
proposition. supported by him authori-
tatively with abundant citations of eX-
ampIes. that those characteristics have
marked il from the beginning and mark
il to-day.
The Monroe Doctrine has often been
snoken of as the foundation of our for
eign relations. Perhaps it Is entitled TO
that distinction if we go far back of the
actual text of the Doctrine TO Haml-
toms first adumbrations Of il. in the
DAVIS of the old Confederation. But Mr..
Knox reminds us fndisputably that the
principle of international arbitration
was one Of the very first established III
our diplomacy. TO which we may add
that American diplomacy was the first
to establish that principle in modern
times 1t was in Jays treaty of 1874
that the principle was established, and
trnrr
that treaty that Hamilton eloquently
urged the general practice of arbtra-
ton az substitute for war. That prin-
ciple has ever since been consistently
maintained and practised by the United
States probably more than by any other
nation and. as Mr. Knox encOuragingly
shows. has steadily been developed i'll
the direction OF judicial rather than dip
lomatic processes, and of adjudication
on the basis of law rather than arbitra-
ton on the basis of compromise. =,
The principle thus established by jay
and his collea CUES was strongly con-
firmed more than century LATER, when
| in 1899 Secretary Hay proposed TO the
first Hague conference the establish
ment of an always existing and always
open and ready international court of
adjudication. His splendid idea was
not fully realized. though much progress
was made toward it, But more recently
Mr. Knox himself has made ii renewed
and even enlarged and improved pro
posal to the same end. to the effect that
the machinery of the International Prize
Court shall be utilized for such trib-
unal of adjudication. That proposal
row bids fair 10 he successful 1t has
been. says Mr.. Knox. most favorably
received by the powers. and 1t is con-
fidently expected that the initiative of
the United States will thus lead to the
early esta blishment of such a court at
The Hague. 1t is no e8aggeTa ton to
/ add. as Mr.. hnoX does. that such an
"eventuality will be the resliza ton of
''one IF the aspirations IF all the cen
turtles The United States cannot Of
course. claim sole credit for the conepp-
| tion or the work but it can happily and
truthfully claim credit for having per-
/ formed an essential part in effecting
| what we may regard as the fruition and
| crvstalliza ton Of the thought and ideals
of many men and many governments in
many ages. That achievement is only
one IF those which are recorded of
American diploma g. but if is one which
| ST this time it is peculiarly gratifying
and encoura ging 70 contemplate