Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-29
AN EMBELLISHMENTS VIEW OF
ARBITRATION.

Sir Robert w. Perks, q meHper VI
the British parliament and one OF the
foremost peace advocates, was quoted
in the New York World just before
he sailed Tor. home this. week, as
heartily .favoring an. arbitration treaty
between the United States and Eng
land. He declares that his country
men. irrespective Of party, favor SUCH
an agreement, but that. to make such
: treaty effective the people must
understand 1t. He illustrates by
calling J. attention to the English
Japanese treaty, of which he says:
III do not think that treaties which
are made behind the backs OF the
neople have the force Of those which
are understood by them and have
their approval That, to my mind, Is
the weak point of the treaty between
Great Britain and Japan; the British
people do not know to what they are
committed; the terms Of it are known
only to the foreign office which made
It. Now, II by the terms Of that treaty
Great Britain should. be placed in con-
flict at any time with the United
States 1t would not be worth much,
for the people. of. Great Britain would
not stand for it and they never would
have Endorsed such treaty. On the
other hand, if they knew the terms of
such an. international agreement and
approved Of them, they would stand
by them to the bitter end, and such,
q treaty would have real weight"
Sir Robert emphasizes view of the
benefits to be- derived by both ma
lions, which, he says, has not been
dwelt upon with sufficient strength.
He explains:
II refer to the effect which an
arbitration treaty would undoubtedly
have upon the commerce of Great
Britain and the United States. There
can be no earthly doubt that a treaty
would give to- both nations benefits
that are almost incalculable, in ma
terial way. The mere fact that there
was such q treaty In existence power
full enough to effect a settlement OF
any dispute would be Of the greatest
value. When war is in the air and
uncertainty reigns, when nations are
rour-parleying and struggle seems
Imminent, the first effect is upon the
commerce of those engaged in the
irnbroglio. Manufacturers are afraid
70 20 ahead and manufacture goods,
traders are afraid to lay In stocks,
credit is impaired and the whole in
ternational commercial intercourse
and social intercourse, tools ar
rested.
"Let us suppose that the United
states and Great Britain are in a
state Of incipient war. Who would be
the first to feel the effects? Why,
the great transatlantic steamship
companies. There would be few, If
any bookings, and that great business
would become paralyzed. Then manu-
facturers and exporters would not be
arranging to send their goods abroad,
nor would, the importers be arranging
TO bring in goods. But II an arbitra-
tion tribunal were in existence such
q condition could not be. It would
he recognized and understood that
the dispute, whatever its nature,
could be referred to this tribunal and
the differences adjusted without dis.
turbing, to any material extent, the
commerce of the two countries.
Next, Sir Robert spoke of another
"Today all the burdens of war are
n1aced on the countries Of Europe,
inst as If they were actually engaged
economical phase Of the question. He
said:
in conflict. Preparations for war are
lust as costly as war itself. and 1t is
the people who have to bear the bur-
den. For instance, one Dreadnought
exacts a. agual tax OF 100000 a