The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-01-04
DECLARES GENERAL ARRiTRk-
TON AoREEmENTs ARE
WORTHLESS.
DISCUSSES ABROGATlON
Asserts Congress Acted Right, but
That We VIII Be Exposed to
Worlds Derislon IL Docu.
ments Are Ratified.

New York.-Col Theodore Roose.
welt, in the Outlook, emphasized his
antagonism toward the general arbi.
tration treaties, which are among the
chief policies OF the national admins
| tration. lie bitterly denounced them
as being designed TO tell against
peace and put us as u nation in an
attitude OF unctious and odious hypoc-
risy."
1 BY inference, at least, he severely
crIticises President Taft In regard to
the treaty matter. Abrogation OF the
Russian treaty, he declares, puts this
nation where 1t can not in honor"
adopt the proposed arbitration trea-
ties. In his editorial the former pres
ident said:
/ Il cordially approve the action taken
by congress in ahrogating the Rus.
sian treaty, because men must vote
md act on the situation that actually
confronts them, and in the actual
event congressman had only two al
ternatiyes, namely, to abrogate the
treaty or to submit to the continu-
ance Of conditions which have become
intolerablc to our national self.re-
spect and which represent continuing
wrong especially to American citizens
OF Jewish faith.
/ q still believe that in so serious
matter 1t would have been well first
to endeayor to secure decision by
the Hague court on the Interpretation
OF the existing treaty. ! am confident
that such decision would Of neces-
Bity have been in our favor; and II 3d.
1t would have enabled Russia to have
retired from an untenable position
with good grace aud no loss Of self
respect-an object that should always
be held in view in dealing with any
foreign nation with which at any time
we have difficulties; while II the de-
cision as to the Interpretation of the
clause In question had been adverse
to us, we would then at once have abb
| rogated the treaty and have been
clearly right in so doing.
"Under these circumstances to rat
ify the general arbitration treaties
would put the American people in an
attitude OF peculiarly contemplate
hypocrisy and would rightly expose us
to the derision OF all thinking man
kind; for we would put ourselves In
the position of making sweeping and
insincere promises impossible of per-
Torrance at the very time. when by
our own actions we showed that we
would certainly not keep such prom
lses, nor translate them into action.
Believes In Arbitration.
Il believe that we can normally ar
bitrate the question OF the interpreta-
ton of a treaty, even II only as the
preliminary to adopting the very Sc
treaty. But do not believe that we
can arbltrate with the intention OF
abiding by the arbitration such queE-
ton as treating all our citizens alike
without regard to their creed in the
matter OF passports, or such questions
as the Monroe doctrine, the admission
of Asiatic immigration In mass, the
refusal OF states to pay bonds, or
many other similar matters.
Il short, do not believe that we
can afford to arbitrate questions Of
vital interest and national honor or
questions OF settled American govern
mental policy. Moreover, the attitude
we are now taking as regards the abb
rogauon OF the Russian treaty shows
beyond possibility of doubt that II we
were 30 foolish or 80 tlmtd as to
agree, as an abstract matter, by gen.
eral arbitration treaties to arbitrate
such matters, we should repudiate the
agreement whenever a concrete case
arose in which any considerable num-
Der Of our citizens took an active In.
terest.
Under such circumstances to pro-
coed with the ratification Of the gen.
eral arbitration treaties unamended
would be not merely farce, but
farce played at the expense Of our
reputation for national good faith and
sincerity"
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Women to Aid Mayor.
Santa Monica, Cal.-Mayor-elec