The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-05-23
BY a Prominent Speaker be-
for the Lake Mohawk
Conference.

Mohonk Conference on International
Arbitration today on The Settlement
of Commercial Disputes Between Ma
tons by an International Court" He
said in part:
! There is nothing about CONNER
cial dispute between nations to justify
its sharp differentiation from other
disputes as regards tho broad policy
OF arbitration.
I my purpose is to advocate recourse
to an appropriate International trib-
unal for the amicable adjustment Of
commercial differences between ma
tons which have been automatically
espoused by their respective govern
ments and which diplomacy has been
unable to settle after a reasonable
time, thereby causing substantial
disturbance and loss to the business
relations between the countries con-
cerned.
The ordinary purpose of the
founders of The Hague Court was to,
provide for the peaceful settlement Of
those disputes only which threaten
war between the parties. But the
s rious extension of the policy Of ar
filtration to commercial ant minor
disputes between nations is a matterI
that is left to the Third Conference.
which presumably will be held in|
1915.
"The present Court of Arbitration
at The Hague is considered by many
as too cumbersome for ordinary use
and a trial before 1t is undoubtedly
very expensive. Excepting where
highly important International issues
or large sums of money are involved,
the tribunal is not likely to be much
used.
These considerations have led the
United States, from the outset, to |
favor the establishment OF an inter-
national court of arbitral JUS, ice
which shall be permanent, free and
easy Of access. with wide Jurisdiction !
and regular sessions. and with its |
machinery always in readiness. so
that cases Of minor Importance, as
well as larger issues of fundamental
importance, may be submitted for \
reasonably expeditions and inexpen-
sive settlement. This court would
be composed of judges representing
the different judiciary systems of the
world and capable of insuring the
continuity of arbitral Jurisprudence
Such a court has been strongly advo-
Gated by President Taft and secre-
tary Knox, and its establishment
will surely constitute one of tho
most important features of the work
of the Third Conference.
ut is not difficult to site several
cases in the recent experience Of the
United States government that
might appropriately be submitted
to an international tribunal such as
/ have in mind. Two or three, how.
ever will suffice for the purpose of
illustration. One is the famous pot
ash controversy between the United
States and Germany. This ex-
tremely complex and difficult contro-
versy involves so many novel points
as respects conflicting systems of
jurisprudence and national legisla-
tive policies that it is no matter of
surprise that the good Offices of d.
plomacy should fail to adjust it. 1t
is my opinion that 1t might properly
have been referred to an information
al tribunal such as have in mind I
had there been on In existence.
"Another stubborn and difficult
commercial question is the contro-
versy between the Austrian govern
ment and the Vacuum Oil Company
in relation to its business operations
in Austria.
''stiil another case which natural
ly comes to mind in the experienced
of the United States government In
recent years is the persistent re-
tusal, on sanitary grounds, of theI
governments of Germany. France,
Austria-Hungary. and all the scan
dinavian countries to admit Ameri-
can live cattle for slaughter.
"while modern commercial dis
putes between nations do not ordi-
narily endanger the peace between
them. they are always Irritating and
usually prejudicial to international
amity and good relations. Not In
frequent they are menace to mu-
tual trade development. 1t is not
amiss to remind you that the potash
dispute, which was not tariR ques-I
tion, threatened tariff war between
the United States and Germany.
which for magnitude of consequences
would have eclipsed the Franco
-.