The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-01-04
Says Action on Russian Treaty
and the Ones Pending
in the Senate
SMAcKS OF HYPOCRISY
Points Out Alleged Similarity
of Them with the One
Just Abrogated.

NEW YORK, Dec. 29-The fol-
lowing editorial on "The Russian
Treaty, Arbitration and Hypocrisy, .
by Theodore Roosevelt, appears in
;he current issue OF the Outlook:
Il codially approve the action
taken by Congress in fabrogatlng the
Russian treaty, because men mus,
vote and act on the situation as II
actually confronts them; and In the
actual event congressman had but
two alternatives, namely. to abro-
gate the treaty. or to submit TO tine
continuance of conditions which
have become intolerable to our ma
tional selfrespect. and which repre-
sent continuing wrong, especially
TO American citizens OF the Jewish
faith.
= still believe that in so serious
matter It would have been we'll
first to endeavor to secure a decision
by the Hague Court on the interprc-
tatlon of the existing treaty. | am
confident that such a decision would,
OF necessity. have been in our favor
and, II SO, it would have enabled
Russia to retire from an untenable
position with good grace and no loss
OF selfrespect-an object that should
always be held in view in dealing
with any foreign nation with which
at any time we have difficulties;
while IL the decision as to the inter-
probation OF the clause in question
had been adverse to us, we would
then at once have abrogated the
treaty, and have been clearly right
in so doing. This was the position
held by that distinguished diplomat,
Mr., Oscar Strauss. But no move
mcnt had been made by either ma
ton looking towards any other
method of settling the matter than
the one actually adopted. Congress
was confronted by the simple fact
that unless the treaty were abro-
gated conditions would remain as
they now are; and. under the cir
cumstances. Congress acted wisely
and properly in declaring for the alb
rogation.
5But this action was taken while
the universal arbitration treaties are
pending in the Senate. These treat
les are avowedly championed as
being of the kind We are TO ente.
into with all nations, and as sup
planting the existing arbitration
treaties which we have with almost
all nations, including Russia as we'll
as England and France. These
treaties, II ratified by the Senate
unamendedr will explicitly promise,
will explicitly pledge the honor and
good faith of the American nation,
10 arbitrate precisely such questions
as that which at this very moment
we announce that we will not en-
deavor to arbitrate in the case OF
Russia. Under these circumstances,
to ratify the general arbitration
treaties would put American people
in an attitude Of peculiarly con-
temptible hypocrisy. and would
rightly expose US to the derision OF
all thinking mankind: for We should
put ourselves in the position of max
ing sweeping and insincere prom
ises, impossible of performance at
every time when by our own actions
we showed that We would certainly
not keep our promises, nor translate
them into action, / believe that we
can normally arbitrate the question
of Interpretation of a treaty, even
if only as the preliminary 10 adopt.
ing the very serious action OF de-
nouncing OF denouncing such treaty
But ! do not believe that We can
arbitratc, with the intention OF
abiding by the arbitration, such
questions 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 Or Asiatic immigrants
in mass, or the refusal Of the states
to pay bonds, or many other
similar matters. In short, / do not
believe that We can afford to arbi.
trate questions Of vital interest and
national honor, or questions of set.
tied American governmental policy
Moreover, the attitude we art
now taking as regards the abroga,
ton of the Russian treaty shows
beyond possibility of doubt that Il