The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-21
IDEAS NEARLY
LED HIM TO DUEL
Believes That Clause Relating to
international Commissions of
Inquiry Is Vital Part Of
Pact Into Which Eng
land and United States
May Enter.
ny WILLIAM T. STEAD.

tSH:cihi Saoie 70 Tho Tiuies-Dibpatc tell
London. May 2o.-When 1 road the
draft OF the proposed general Ameri-
can arbitration treaty I felt like sing
ing 'Nuno Dimittis.' It is Indeed sell
dom that any one sees within SO briet
q term as hfteen years the realization
OF an ideal which, when 1t was nrst
p~sopounded. seemed utterly beyond the
bounds OF practical poiitics.
When IN 1880 I published my pamph-
let. Always Arbitrate Before You
Eight my plea was distastctul alike
TO arbttrationists and mil!tarists. I
stuck TO It. and at the first Hague Con
ference I nearly got involved in a duel
because OF my hot ins!stence upon my
~favoritc specific That SPECIFIC was not
arbitration in the strictly judicial sense
OF the term. by which. before cases are
cent before the tribunal. both d!spu-
tants pledge themselves to accept the
award. whatever It may be. My con-
t%entton. in which 1 stood almost alone
In those days. was that no state would
ever erbitrate matters of life or death
II all appeal to the sword was barred
IN advance as q preliminary condition
= II ~ oGI NlCeS II an 4TDltEAl
tribunal: whereas. II the right OF ap-
pealing 20 the sword was reserved,
anything might be sent 10 arbitration
with toleraoie certainty that In 5o9
cases or 1000 the right of appeal would
never be exercised
When the fret Hague Conference was
In making l proclaimed that a clause
relating TO an ~nternational comnis-
sion OF inquiry. which might be hell
e. TO lNONtrGa into nttASfinp e. ~ faor ,pyt6-
out any preliminary pledge to accept
the conclusions of their report was one
vital article OF contention.
Almost Provoked n Duel.
These commissions. I pointed out.
would be arbitral tribunals ali but In
name. and 1t was the vchemence OF my
protest against Roumanie's demand to
exempt the questions OF honor and vital
interest from the scope OF these com
missions which brought me to the edge
OF q duel with the Roumanian dele
gates. Roumenia, however, triumphed.
and the honor and vital interests were
inserted.
had the satisfaction during the
Russo-Japanese question OF seeing my
contention justified. for the suspension
OF the honor and vital interest clause
had TO be agreed upon between Russia
and England before tho Dogger Bank
dispute. which threatened instant war,
could be referred to an ~nternationa
commission, which settled the matter
amicably.
So obstinate, however, were the hide
bound pedants OF i~nternational diplo-
macy that at the second Hague Con-
ference that contention came up for
revision. and I could not induce the
English and American delegates TO ex-
cuse the limiting clause. l~otwithstand-
ing the experience of the Dogger Bank
incident Hence my surprise and de-
light ct finding IN the American arbi-
tration draft tardy but complete recog-
milton of the principle for which had
commended almost single-handed for
fifteen years.
That principle Is not that which Is
embodied in the clause sending all dis
putes to arbitration, which now, as be-
fore. demands prior pledges TO accept
the award, whatever 1t may be. It is
the principle embodied In the claus
providing that questions which one or
the other OF both disputants regard as
unjudicable by arbitration shall be re-
ferred to the commission. whose de-
cision. unless II BIO a decision In favor
of sending the dispute 10 arbitration.
1hall not be binding upon either party.
That IS the vital clause which makes
the new treaty SO valuable.
Vital Questions MT Issue.
fI w AAhNbSh AZ va Oh u Sdly you
may make declaring all questions shall
be sent to arbitration. no really vital
questions Will ever be sent to arbitra-
ton unless both parties are free to
appeal to the sword in the last ex-
tremity.
TO the sword In the last extremity.
That right is secured by the clause
declaring that the report Of the COM
mission shall not of necessity be ac-
cepted in advance. AS a matter OF
fact in nine cases out OF ten, the re-
port OF such commission would nave
the effect of an arbitral award, for
rare. indeed. would be cases in which
n disputsnt would dare to draw the
sword after such commission on full
examination had decided against the
justice of its claims. Reference to
commission IS also valuable because IT
does not require prior consent Of the
Senate.
London has been absorbed all the
week by the visit of the German En-
peror and his family. The weather
has been delightful, and London and
the Thames Valley. through which the
royal Imperial party drove to Wind
chestnut. 1aburnum and hawthorn in
IN full bloom.
There Is no more fascinating man
living than the Kaiser when he is In
good humor and when he sets him
self to exercise his charm. 7 note az
nm instance OF the suppression of the
railroad by the automobile, that this
year for the first time the King and
his imperial guests preferred the road
to the rail- when they visited Wind
sor.
Fire Chief n Suicide.
q New Orleans, La, MAY 20.-Thomas