The Washington herald., 1913-04-25
OF PEACE
ARE ANNOUNCED
Secretary Of State Submits to
Diplomats Text Of Pro-
posed Treaty.
ACTUAL WAR DELAYED
Joint Commission Would Make Impair
tia Investigation Pending
Hostiliies.
ACTUAL WAR DELAYED

Secretary of State Bryan yesterday
presented to members of the Diplomatic
Corps in Washington. for transmission to
their governments, the plan for a peace
treaty in which the administration hopes
all other nations will join
The plan provides merely that the con-
tracing nations shall not declare war
or begin hostilities >against one another
until joint commission has made an
impartial investigation of the facts of
the situation which may be the cause
of dispute This plan was laid before
the Senate Committee on Foreign Rela-
tons Wednesday, and has, Of course. the
hearty approval of the President.
The President and Mr.. Bryan decided
following his appearance before the Sen
ate committee, to eliminate from the
proposal made to the foreign govern
ments that part of the plan for treaties
which would impose limitations upon
contracting nations increasing their arm
ament. or making any strategic disposal
of their forces during the period in which
the joint commission was making its in
vestigation. II was decided that such
provision might be an unfair one, In
case one of the parties to the proposed
treaties were involved in a dispute with
third nation. Under the provision at
first proposed by Mr.. Bryan they would
be unable to take any steps to protect
themselves from the third nation. Mr..
Bryan also thought that his plan would
have much better chances OF success IL
il could be reduced to the very simplest
terms, and thus make as few as possible
the points which might cause friction
and prevent other governments from &C
cepting the treaty.
Text Of Draft.
The draft of the proposed treaties, as
submitted TO the foreign representatives
today, is as follows:
The parties hereto agree that all ques-
lions of whatever character and nature,
in dispute between them, shall, when
diplomatic efforts fail, be submitted for
investigation and report to an interna-
tionaI commission Cthe composition to De
agreed upon; and the contracting par
ties agree not to declare war or begin
hostilities until such investigation is made
and report submitted.
THE investigation shall be conducted
as a matter of course upon the initiation
of the commission, without the formality
Of a request from either party; the re-
port shall be submitted within (time to
be agreed upon from the date of the sub
mission of the dispute; that the parties
hereto reserve the right to act indie
pendently of the subject matter in dis
pute after the report is considered
OF this Secretary Bryan said:
THE statement presented to the repre-
sentatives is only intended to set forth
the main proportion, namely, that the
President desires to enter into an agree
met with each nation severally for the
investigation of all questions of every
nature whatever. This agreement is in
tended to supplement the arbitration
treaties now in existence and those that
may be made hereafter. Arbitration
treaties always exempt some question
from arbitration. The agreement pro-
posed by the President is intended to close
the gap and leave no dispute that can
become a cause of war without investi-
cation.
1T will be noticed that each party Is
to reverse the right to act independently
after the report is submitted. but 1t is
not likely that a nation will declare war
after it has had an opportunity to con-
fer during the investigation with the OPP
posing nation.
But whether the proposed agreement
accomplishes as much as is hoped for 1t.
il is at least a step in the direction of
universal peace, and / am pleased to be
the agent through whom the President
presents this proposition to the powers
representer here"