The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-12-29
Says Action l Russian FTeaty
and the Hes Pending
sNIAC K, :. "a 81 YPo CRIsY
Points Out Alleged Similarity
of Them With the One
lust Ebrogated.
IN tie Senate

s. - 80
sew YORK, nee The fol-
towing editorial on THE Russian
treaty, sAr6ftrafon and Hypocrisy,. .
10y Theodore Roosevelt, appears In
the current issue Of The Outlook
"a codially approve the action
taken by Congress IL abrogatiDg the
ltussian treaty. because men must
vote and act on the sTtuation as IL
actually e0nfronts them; and IN Inc
actual event con Tcssmen had but
two alternatives. namely, to lhro-
gate the treaty. or to submit to the
continuance OF conditions which
have become intbIerable to our ma
.tional selfFespect, and which repre-
sent a continuing wrong, especially
to American citizens of the Jewish
faith
81 still believe that in 50 serious
4 matter it would have been well
frst to endeavor 70 secure a decision
by the Hague Court on the interpre-
.tation OF the existing treaty i am
conf dent that such q decision would.
OF necessity, have been in our favor,
and, If SO, it would have enabled
Russia to retire from an untenable
position with good graceand no loss
Of selfrespect an object that should
always be held IN view In dealing
With any foreign nation with which
at any time we have dffhculties;
white IL the decision assto the inter
pretatIon OF the clause in question
lad been adverse to us, we would
then at once have abrogated the
treaty. and have been clearly right
in SO doing. This was the. position
held by That distinguished diplomat,
mr.. oscar Strauss. .Bnt no move
naeat aad been made by either ma
ton looking towards ar other
method Of settling the matter than
the one actually adopted. Congress
was confronted by the simple fact
that unless the Areaty were abro-
gated conditions would remain as
they now are: and, under the cir
cunsfances, Congress acted wisely
and properly in declaring for the alb
rogation.
'fBut this action was taken while
the universal arbitration treaties are
pending in the Senate. These treat
les are avowedIy champtoned as
being OF the kind we are to enter
into with all nations, and as SUP
planting the existing arbitration
treaties which we have with almost
all nations, including Russia as we'll
as England and France. These
treaties. IL ratified by the Senate
unamended,. will explicitly promise
will explicitly pledge the honor and
good faith OF the American nation.
to arbitrate precisely such questions
as that which at this very moment
we announce that we will not en-
-deawor to arbitrate in the case OF
Russia. Under these circumstances.
10 ratify the general arbitration
treaties would put American people
in an attitude of peculiarly con-
temptfble hypocrisy. and would
rightly expose us to the derision OF
all thinking mankind; for we shouitI
nut ourselves. in the position of max
Ing sweeping and insincere prom
ises. impossible OF performance at
every time when by our own actions
we showed that we would certainly
not keep our promises, nor translate
them into action believe that wa
can normally arbftrate the question
Of Interpretation OF a treaty. even
III only as the preliminary to adopt
ing the very serious action of de-
.nouncing OF denouncing such treaty.
Bu, do not believe that we can
arbitrate. with the intention OF
abiding by the arbitration. such
questions as treating all our citizens
alike, without regard to their creed
Tn the matter OF passports, or such
questions as the Monroe doctrine
the admission Of Asiatic immigrants
IN mass, or the refusal of the states
to pay bonds. or many otheE
SIMILAR matters. IN short, do not
believe that we can afford to arbi-
trate questions OF vital interest and
national honor, or questions OF set
4 tied American governmental policy
"Moreover, the attitude we arg
now taking as regards the abroga-
ton OF the Russian treaty show.
beyond possibility of doubt that u
we were so foolish or timid as t.
agree. as an abstract matter, by gen,
Ieral arbitration treaties, to arbitrate
1 t -...o3{E,nb. IVA should. Instantly