Arizona republican., 1910-12-07

Washington. Dec. 6.-The following is the text of the presidents message transmitted to congress today:
 To the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives: During the past year the foreign relations of the United States have continued upon basis of friend ship and good understanding.
 ARBITRATION.
 The year has been notable as wit messing the pacific settlement of two important international controversies before the Permanent Court of The Hague.
 The arbitration of fisheries dispute between the United States and Great Britain, which has been the source of nearly continuous diplomatic cores pondence since the first convention of ISIS, has given award which is satis- factory to both parties. This arbitra- ton is particularly noteworthy in only because of the eminently just results secured, but also because it is the first arbitration held under the gen eral arbitration treaty of April 4. 1898. by the United States and Great Britain and disposes of a controversy, the set
 
 other resource of diplomacy. and which for nearly ninety years has been the cause of friction between two countries whose common interest lies in main taining the most friendly and cordial relations with each other. The United States was ably represented before the council and I should be wanting in proper recognition in a great patriotic service if I did not refer to the lucid historical analysis of the facts and the signal ability and force of argu- ment-six days in length-presented to the court in support of our case by Mir. Elihu Root.
 The tribunal constituted at The Hague by the governments of the United States and Venezuela has com pleted its deliberations and has ren- dered an award in the case of the OrinocO Steamship company against Venezuela. The award may be re- garded as satisfactory since it has, pursuant to the contentious of the United States recognized a number of important principles making for a judicial attitude in the determining of international disputes. Tn view of grave doubts which had been raised as to the constitutiOnality of The Hague convention for the establish ment of an international prize court. now before the senate for ratification. because of that provision of the con vention which provides that there may be an appeal to the proposed court from the decisions of national courts this government proposed in an iden- tical circular note addressed to those powers which had taken part in the London maritime conference that the powers signatory to the convention it confronted with such difficulty, might insert a reservation to the effect that appeals to the international prize court in respect to decisions of its national tribunals should take the form of a direct claim for compehsation; that the proceedings thereupon to be taken should be in the form of a trial de novO, and that judgment of the court should consist of compensation for the illegal capture irrespective of the de- cision of the national courts whose judgment had thus been information ally involved. As the result of an informal discussion it was decided to provide such procedure by means of a separate protocol which should be rat flied at the same time as the prize court convention itself.
 Accordingly, the government of the Netherlands, at the request of this government. proposed under date of May 24. 1910, to the powers signatOry to The Hague convention. the negotia- tion of a supplemental protocol em- bodying stipulatiOns providing for this alternative procedure. It is gratify- ing to observe that this additional pro tocol is being signed without objec- tion by the powers signatory to the original conVention. and that there is every reason to believe that the in ternational prize court will be soon established.
 The identical circular note also proposed that the international prize court when established should be en- dowed with the functions of an ar bitral court of justice under and pur- suant to the recommendation adopted by the last Hague conference. The replies received from the various pow CTS to this proposal inspire the 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 question which have heretofore threatened and. at times. destroyed the peace of nations.
 PEACE COMMISSION.
 Appreciatlng these enlightened ten