The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-04
Now Up to the Senate to Ratify Great Peace
 Facts
SIGNING DOCUMENTS
 IS DRAMATIC SCENE
Secretary Knox and Ambassador Bryce Sign English Agreement and French Treaty Will
 Be Taken to Paris

Washington, August 5.-President Taft will send to the Senate tomor- row the general arbitration treaties be- tween the United States and Great Britain and the United States and France. signed for this government, and for Great Britain here today, and to be signed in Paris for the govern ment of France.
 The brief messages of tranxmittal to the Senate were written and signed by the President today and tomorrow 1t will lie with the United States Senate to ratify what has been termed the greatest step toward the abolition of warfare that the world thus far has taken. Already there have been mutt terings from the Senate over these initial, but was anxious to put them before that body before the adjourn ment of the special session.
 The ceremony of signing the treaties took place in the Presidents library in tho White House, only little less historic than the east room. Numerous treaties, including that between Spain and the United States, have been signe in that room and many .lnportant state documents written there.
 Small formality attended the cere- mony Secretary of State Knox, Brit ish Ambassador Bryce, Counsellor Chandler Anderson of the state depart ment. Osmund Ovey, second secretary of the British embassy; the Vicomte Saint Phalle of the French embassy, two members of the cabinet, a score of newspaper men and three photograph CTS were present The treaty with Great Britain was signed at 3:10 in the aft ernoon. Secretary Knox and Ambas- sador Bryce signed duplicates at the same moment. while the photographers clicked their cameras In accompani- ment to the scratching pens. The French treaty was signed by MT. Knox one minute later.
 The treaties out of the way, President Taft took his place at the desk and signed the two messages to the Senate. which lay before him, and so far as the eXecu- tive end of the government is concerned, the matter was concluded.
 Library Cleared
 The Presidents library had been cleared for the occasion. Only a fiat-top ma hosany desk was left in one corner just under window Joking out over the White House grounds and the Potomac river On the desk were the treaties, the messages to the Senate, an inkwell with a spread winged gold eagle on an onyx base two pens and vase filled with golden rod. the national flower of the United States. '4
 A few minutes after 3, Secretary Knox took his seat at one side of the desk and Ambassador Bryce found his place lust opposite President Taft, MT. Ovey,, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Nagel, Secretary of Agriculture Wilson, Secre- tary to the President c. D. Hiles, Major Butt the Presidents aid, and Coun- sellor Anderson stood in a group at ono side Mr. Knox looked at the pho- tographers, took up a pen and waited.
 "All right" said the camera battery. The secretary and the ambassador, pens filled with ink, set to work on the h. stant Simultaneously there was a great clicking of camera shutters.
 MT Bryce left the desk after signing and Mir Knox remained alone The French treaty was passed to him and as Vicomte Phalle looked on he once again wrote his pame in bold hand.
 .I, think you ought to have that pen, MT President" said Mir. Knox. as he finished.
 "No, you had better keep 1t, Mir. SecIe- tary." said the President.
 Mir Knox carried that pen away, ana the one used by MT. Bryce was taken by White House attache
 Ten minutes later the ceremony was sver, Mir. Bryce was walking down the capital streets through the rain and the President and Secretary Knox were plan ring to play golf together at Chevy Chase. The ambassador left this evening for his summer home at Seal Harbor, Maine.