The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-05-23
ARBITRATION WITH GERMANY
THIS GOVERNMENT WILLING TO
NEGOTIATE A TREATY.
II Has so Informed the German Govern.
ment. but There Have Been No Dipio.
matte 1nterchanges on the subject
Attitude Of Germany IL Not known.

ment. but There Have Been no Diplo.
matte 1nterchsnges on the subject
Attitude Of Germany IL Not known.
WASHINGTON. May 22.-The German
Government has been informally ad-
vised by Secretary OF State Knox that
the United States ie willing to negotiate
with Germany a general arbitration treaty
submitting all future disputes to arbi.
tration which will be similar to the con-
ventions now being arranged between
France. Great Britain and the United
States. There have. however. been no
diplomatic interchanges on the subject
Several days ago draft Of a proposed
convention Of this character WAS sub-
mitted to the British and French Ambas-
sadors here. but the proposed draft has
not been transmitted to Germany Sec
reatry Knox takes the position that while
he is willing to negotiate such n treaty
with Germany he cannot properly make
any definite proposals until the German
Government has indicated its willingness
to take up the subject But Mr. Knox
did go so far as to suggest informally
to the German Government that he would
be glad TO discuss the question if the
officials OF tho German Government are
willing TO do so Thus far. however.
no reply as to the attitude Of the German
Government has been received
There has been change in tho pro-
grainms of tho Administration in neso =
tiating those arbitration treaties At
first Socro'ary Knox planned to arrange
general arbitration convention | et wecn
tho United States and Great Britain which
would mako the basis whom ratified by
tho Senate for other conventions of this
character with difIsrOnt foreign coun-
tres. When this plan was announced
there was considerable discussion in
Amcric an and foreign newspapers as to
whcthcr the proposed convention betw
the United Status and Great Britain would
not practically amount to AL Anglo
American alliance.
To !omonst rate to tho world that tho
proposed arrangement would not con-
stitutc an alliance Secretary Knox aban-
doned his original plan and decided TO
France and a treaty with Great Britain
He has probably spoken also to all the
diplomatic representatives hero Of the
governments with which the United States
now has arbitration treaties to indicate
his Willingness to negotiate general arbi-
tration treaties in their stead Up to this
time no formal negotiations have bsen
begun except with Great Britain and
France
There 10 no existing arbitration treaty
between the United States and Germany
This Ia due TO the fact that the German
Government and tho United States were
unable 10 agree upon the question OF rati-
fica;ion. In Germany the ratification Of a
treaty is executed by the Government
In the United States. however, q conven-
ton must he submitted TO the Senate for
approval before it is binding on the coun-
try. The German Government took the
view that such a convention would he abso-
Mtely binding on the German Government
from the time Of its ratification. but the
, United States would not be obligated to
arbifrate questions OF dispute until tho
senate had passed upon them in each spe-
citic instance.
When Elihu Root was Secretary Of State
in the latter part Of the Roosevelt Admin
istration he carried on negotiations with
the German Foreign Office with the in
tention 81 completing an arbitration
treaty, but no agreement was reached.
Shortly after MIR. Knox became the head
CT the State Department the German Gov
eminent submitted counter proposal.
suggesting that the proposed arbitration
treaty be submitted TO the Bindesrath
for ratification. This method would have
been similar. il agreed upon. to the sys-
| tenn cf ratification prevailing in this
country. No reply. IL was said at the
made To the last German proposal and
there has been no recent discussion II
the subject.
II is not known here what attitude the
German Government will take toward
a general arbitration treaty Of the char
acter proposed for Great Britain and
France. The same obstacles which were
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