The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-14
SECRETARY. KNox's DIPLOMACY

SECRETARY hNUA q 'DlfICpuAS
Contrary to public expectations, and
directly in the face Of telegram OF
protest from President Taft, the SEN
ate has adopted an amendment to the
arbitration treaties with Great Britain
and France. This amendment elm
mates the provision comforting special
powers on the proposed joint high
commission. This amendment puts the
treaty all out of joint. 1t is no won
der that President Taft protested
against it, and that, rather than have
it adopted he desired to have the whole
matter 90 over until December. The
reason for this amendment, so far as
it relates TO resentment at former
expression of ambassador Bryce Of
Great Britain, Is petty indeed. Mr.
Bryce, in his recent works, especially
in his monumental work t'The Ameri-
can Commonwealth, has given such
extraordinary evidence Of his good will
towards the United States and towards
the Constitution and Congress, the SEN
ate included, that any older utterance
of his might well be ignored, So far
as the objection goes to the danger Of
old world domination on the joint high
commission, that is a danger that we
have pointed out hitherto in the dis
cussiou of arbitration treaties on all
subjects. If that objection should pre-"
vail, it ought to prevail against any
form of arbitration whatever, But,
since the United States has ignored
this objection heretofore, it is rather
late in the day to get IN with that
plea now.
The conclusion of this unreserved ar
bitration treaty has justly been reck-
oncd the triumph of Secretary Knox IS
diplomatic career. Secretary Knox has
made some mistakes as Secretary of
State, in premature announcements of
policies, as in Manchuria. without the
proper backing in the support of other
powers. But, he has learned his les
son, and has been doing frst-class
work for good while past, The
prompt acceptance Of his draft of the
unreserved treaty, which is now being
considered rather superciliously By the
Senate, is an evidence Of the high re.
spect!in which he is held in the diplo-
matte circles of the world 1t is ad~
mitted that the framing of the treaty
was by Secretary Knox; true, Embas-
sador Bryce and ambassador Jusser-
and have been associated with him in
the formation Of the treaty; but it is
understood that in the main the work
is Secretary KnoS's and that it is good
work is attested, not only by. the judg-
ment of President Taft, but by the
consensus of opinion in Great Britain
and France. 1t is also. practically ac~
ceded to in Japan, and Germany is
looking towards it with longing eyes.
Prior. to the complete drafting of
this arbitration treaty, which is gen
orally recognized as the most advanced
step towards peace ever made among
mankind, Secretary Knox had sue
ceeded in winning the confidence of
the Central and South American Re.
publics. both severally and collectively.
The suspicion that we were to do some
thing in the way Of trespass in Mex-
leo has. altogether passed away. The
treaties with Honduras and Nicaragua
are of Secretary Knox IS framing. I'm
doubtedly they will be advantageous
to these countries, and also to the
Americans who participate in the acts
in which they are invited by those
countries to join. The former soreness
in Nicaragua; and the suspicion engen.
dercd by our virtual interposition in
favor of Estrada in the troubles of two
or three years ago, have all disappeared
by reason of Secretary. Knox's candid
diplomacy and fair dealing.
There is complete rapport estab,
lished between the United States and
the South American Republics, almost
for the first time. We have excellent
understandings with Venezuela, with
Brazil, with the Argentine Republic
with Chill, with Peru, with Ecuador
and our voice is supreme in Panama
as it ought TO be- The only nation in
South America that is at all ofish is
Colombia, which still remains discon
tented by reason of the secession of
Panama from that coufederacy, but
doubtless this is break that will heal
in due course, as it ought to do. In
the meantime Secretary Knox, by rea-
son Of his firm, consistent, and intelli
gent policy with the South American
Republics, has reinstated the United
States in whatever prestige it may have
lost by suspicion and the action Of fli
busters and other irresponsible per.
sons, So that, in all the west coast OF
; South America the United States will
be prepared TO play the high and i'm
portant part that it will be called upon
to do on the opening of the Panama
canal,
, We fear that the Senate does not ap
preciate as it ought to do the work OF
! Secretary Knox, and that it is making