Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-10
international Joint Commits.
sion in Session.
RECEIVED BY PRESIDENT
Empowered to Determine Differences
Between This Country and Canada.
JAMES A. TAWNEY PRESIDES
Refers to Centennial Of Client
Treaty and Hopes Ties With
Canada Will Be Strengthened.

Canada Will Be Strengthened.
The International joint commission,
clothed with absolute power to consider
and determine all questions OF difference
between the United States and Canada,
assembled shortly before noon today. in
the rooms Of the United States section
Of the commission In the Southern build
ing.
The commission organized. heard adj
dresses by James A. Tawney Of Mime
sofa, chairman Of tho United States Sec
ton. and by T. Chase Casgrain. chair
man Of the Canadian section. arose to
visit In q body the President Of the
United States, the British ambassador
and the Secretary Of State. and then re-
sunned its sitting.
The members OF the Canadian section
are T. Chase Casgrain Of Montreal.
chairman: Henry A. Powell Of st. Johns,
N. b., and Charles A. Magrath Of Left
bridge. Alberta. Mr.. Tawney, Frank
8. Streeter OF Concord, N. H.. and George
Turner of Spokane, WASH, compose the
United States section. Lawrence j. Bur-
pee OF Ottawa Is secretary OF the Cana
dian section, and L. W. Busbee of Wash
Mr.. Tawney Presides.
The preliminary meeting was called to
order by Mr.. Tawney, who requested that
Mr.. Casgrain, chairman of the Canadian
section, take the chair temporarily. The
rule was then adopted that. In meetings
Of the commission in the United States,
the chairman Of the United States section
WILL nrQQf6a the sessions and Con.
ada the Canadian chairman will be in the
chair. Mr.. Tawney then took the gavel
as presiding officer.
In his opening address Mr.. Tawney re-.
viewed the duties devolving upon the
commission, and commented upon the
great and almost unprecedented authority
to settle differences conferred upon 1t.
He repeated the characterization Of JUS
tice Reddell Of the kings bench Of On
tario that the commission may be called
q miniature Hague tribunal.
Commission Authorized by Treaty.
Chairman Tawney said in part: 1--WE
joint commission authorized by the treaty
between the United States and Great
Britain. signed January H.. 1909, and pro-
claimed May 10, 1910
Christmas eve, 1914, there was con-
cluded and signed in the old cathedral
at Client q treaty which began with this
significant and important declaration:
There shall be firm ana universal
peace between his Britannia majesty and
the. United States and between their re-
spective countries. territories, cities,
towns and people Of every degree, with
out exception of. places or persons
THAT declaration was comprehensive and
versal peace that pessimists criticised the
negotiators for the use Of sentimental
rather than practical expressions in treaty
making. Since then all misunderstand-
tngs and controversies between these two
nations have been settled by an appeal
to reason rather than to passion. The
treaty Of Client has been sacredly OBJ
served for ninety-eight years, during
which time every misunderstanding be-
tween Great Britain and the United states
has been settled either through estab-
lished diplomatic agencies or by a tenn
porary commission. composed OF the rep.
resentatives Of both nations.
The work of promoting closer ana
great peoples on this continent who have
the same language, come from the same
race, have the same common fountain OF
law, the same traditions, and similar in
same ambitions for. the continued sue
cess OF their respective governments, is,
in fact, the work Of blazing the trail
for the judicial settlement Of all dis
putes where they occur between any two
great nations. This Is a work that any
man may we'll appreciate the honor of
having been selected to engage in.
Frank and Direct Relations.
The chief cause for .congratulation,
however, is that this treaty has provided
a means for frank, direct and constant
relations between the two great neigh
boring peoples who tnhabit the greater
part Of the North American continent,
and who must live in amicable relations
to realize the ultimate ideal Of our Anglo
Saxon civilization. This commission con-
munication, and to 1t. by the express
terms of the treaty.. may be referred for
consideration and settlement all questions
of difference that may arise between the
peoples living along our common from
tier.
although the treaty was signed jan
nary IL, 1909. 1t expressly authorizes
and clothes this commission with juris-
diction to consider and determine oil
questions Of difference, without reserva-
tons or qualifications OF any kind. AS
distinguished Canadian jurist, Mr.. Justice
Reddell OF the kings bench Of Ontario,
has we'll said: This may be called a
miniature Hague tribunal OF our own,
just for US English speaking nations of
the continent Of North America
Centennial Of Treaty Of Client.
"Plans have been inaugurated in the
United States, in Canada and in Eng
land to celebrate the centennial OF the
treaty of Client on both sides of the
boundary and on both sides Of the At
lantic, Such q movement can only result
In q profound sentiment for International
peace, and we can conceive of no greater
contribution to It's success than the calm,
judici0us effort of the members Of this
commission to carry into effect the
newer treaty Of May 13, 1910.
This is an effort to write into inter-
national law the sentiment Of the peo-
therefore, q powerful incentive to carry
forward this work OF century, In which
the emblems OF force have given way to
the symbols OF peaceful agencies for the
judicial settlement of all possible inter-
national controversies which the estab-
lished peaceful agencies for that pur-
pose OF the two governments may be un-
able to determine.
81 do not understand that We are the
agents OF separate governments to meet
and bicker over, contested questions, but
rather the joint representatives of the
two governments to cooperate in the
examination and judicial settlement OF
questions that are OF mutual interest
Hopes for Stronger Ties. i
Gas members of this commission we
are, therefore, neither Canadians nor
Americans, but we are each and all rep
resentatives Of all the people on both
sides of bur international boundary line.
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