Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-21
Everett P, Wheeler Declares Ii
lnconceivab|e That United
States Should Refuse to Ar
bitrate.
TRIBUNAL WOULD BE
FAIR, SAYS SPEAKER
American Government Should
Stand by Treaty Instigated
Largely by Its Own Efforts,
is Asserted,
tay MornIne Journnl specInl Irn..a wlrsl

(by Morning journal Special Leased Wire
Washington, Dec. 20.-That tn,
United states should submit to arbi-
tration the Panama canal controversS
| with Great Britain. was the dcclara-
tion made tonight BY Everett p
Wheeler of New York. at the opening
! session here of the American Society
| for the judicial Settlement Of Inter
| national Disputes.
1T is inconceivabc, he asserted,
that after the United States has set
tied by arbitration far more import
ant controversies between itself and
Great Britain than any that can pos
sihly arise with reference to the Pan
anna canal. II should refuse TO refer
To an impartial tribunal formed in
pursuance of a treaty, which the
United States itself proposed, this pure
question of law as to what the Hay
Pauncefote treaty means
The speaker secuted the idea that
1t would be impossible to procure nn-
biased and impartial arbitration. He
said this was dealing great injustice
to the judges who form the panel
OF the high court at The Hague. VIII"
each nation to maintain IT'S own in
terests. but judges of high character,
learning and ability.
$50 far as The Hague tribunal Is
concerned" Mr.: Wheeler continued,
most of the judges are citizens of
nations that have but trifling inter-
est in, the controversy or. perhaps
none at all, but If II were otherwise,
1t would be better a thousand times
that the United States should submit
its ease to this tribunal than that 1t
should de false to its plighted faith
and the honorable traditions Of one
hundred and twenty-five years ago"
More than usual interest attached
to this years meeting of the society
because of the important internation-
al questions now at stake, both at
home and abroad, among them the
Balkan, Panama and Mexican situa-
tions. World wide pubic opinion
would support the judgmen; of wise
and capable international court In the
majority of eases which, might be
brought to 1t for settlement, declared
Joseph f. Davies. OF Madison. Wis.
"There is nothing formidable or
Impossible to the American mind,' he |
added, Sin the conception OF a world
wide rule of law We have enthroned |
law in our national affairs. 1t Is one
OF the canons of our faith as well as
one of the guarantees of our future, !
that we seek conscientiously TO work
out our social. political ana economic I
developments through legal means !
and with respect for law. our expert
ence has shown that where there Is !
a will to let law govern. there will be
found a way to develop and maintain
rules and procedure by which tl~n
gravest differences may be settled
Thomas Willing Balch. of Philadel-
Dha, expressed the opinion that many
might he made in the
existing code of international law and
hat much could he achieved through
legislation by further
)cace congresses.
'The gradual dcevlopmen; of inter-
national arbitration. he said, has
educated a large part of humanity to
'ealize that war is a costly. as well
Is a brutal way of setting differences (,
ittWttIl fidlloiiS- Nv "
he peace of the woi!o, owes muc,l
oday to the practice drlin~ the last |
lalf century of settling many disputes
between nations by international ju-
llcial courts, so that ii is only reS.nn- \
Lble to suppose that much more ma. {
,e gained in the future through the
anne means"
A resolution offered by Mr.. Wheel
r. of New York. urging the president
II the United States to accept the Of I;
er to arbitrate the Panama canal
between Great Britain q
nd this country, as provided for in |
he treaty of 1908, which would refer
he dispute to The Hague court, crts /
ted a sensa ton at the opening ses-
ion tonight.
The resolution also urges the presi-
ent To prepare and submit to the
enate a special agreement clearly de-
ming the matter in dispute. Several
elegates jumped to their feet. seek !
lg recognition for the purpose of dis ;.
ussing the resolution. In view of the +
act, however. that others were on Q
he program for set speeches tonight, n
melton was carried to refer the q
asolution to the executive committee /,
1r report tomorrow. An address by r
ttorney General Wickersham on 4,
The Supreme Court OF the United q
tates. n Protype of a Court or Ma
ons." was received with interest by N
ie delegates. III
Confidence" he said. general Il
nblic confidence I'm the learning. i'm n
artiality and integrity of the justices Il
the supreme court has made pos jc