The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-11-09
ROOSEVELT FLAYS
fAFl'S TREATIES

NEW YORK Special President
| TAFT proposed arpltration treaties
are again used as a target 10y eN-
! Presiuent Roosevelt in an editor, al
appearing in today's issue OF out
.oOk.'
1t would not be merely foolish.
but wicked. for us. as a nation. to
agree To arbitrate any dispute that
Affects our vital interests or our in
dependence or our honor. he says.
because such an agreement would
amount on our part TO a covenant to
abandon our duty to an agreement
To surrender the rights of the Ameri-
can people about unknown matters
at unknown times in the future. Such
an agreement would be wicked if
kept. and yet TO break it-as il un-
dOubtcdlN would be broken If the Oc-
casion arose-would be only less
shameful than keeping il. a self-eN-
ccuting arbitration treaty OF such a
kind cannot Zoe devised. simply be-
cause no such treaty that can be dc
Vised will execute itself or ought l.,
he executed by the nation in time ca
stress"
The ex-President concludes with
his idea Of how all questions of ma
tional honor and independence might
be provided for by treaty thus:
IF. as a people. we wish TO make
genuine adVanCe-tO promise what
can and will and ought TO be done
llSlttQ Ol merely llla AllE Il DItltilSt
by promising something which will
not and ought not To be performed.
should the occasion 10 keep the prom
Use ever arise. We should agree def
nitely to submit to arbitration all dis
putcs that do not involve the vital in
tereSts. the independence or honor OF
the nation. and we should. at the
same time. make provisions which
Will tend To bring about solution
of all disputes not covered 10y the
treaty. To this end a provision should
be inserted i'm such treaty that il
each party to il claims that dis
pute involves its vital interests. its
independence or its honor provided
that neither party takes position
that ncccssitateS immediate action Icy
the other. upon the request of either
party. all questions of fact and ar
questions of law involved i'm the dis
pute shall be referred to arbitraUors.
who shall have no power to de .'dc
the dispute. but shall lie authorized
to pass upon the controversy as to
questions of fact and of law and to
recommend such adjustments of tn
dispute as they may seem just ana
honorable TO both contracting ma
tons
The recommendations of the arbitra-
tors should then be given publicity
and. unless rejected within specified
time by one or the other of the con
tracing parties Gin the case Of the
United States this would mean the
President and the Senate or the Presi-
dent and Congress- should become
binding upon both.
This would secure in the first place
delay for adequate consideration of
the questions at issue, and In the next
place a calm and dispassionate discus
sion Of the controversy, and finally II
would make il easier for "A Government
to accept a fair solution of "A given
controversy if there had been popular
prejudice against such solution.
Some such plan as that herein sug-
gested, if enacted into "A treaty. would
really forward the cause Of inter
national peace and yet would leave the
nation arbiter of its own destiny and
would promise nothing which could not
be performed. having regard both to
the vital question OF national duty.
On these two questions of honor the
nation, if true to itself. can never be
guided by any outside body and can
pay heed to it's own conscience and its
own sense of right"