Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-24
BRYAN PEACEPLA
BEFORE DIPLOMATS
Secretary Explains Purposes
to ENJOYS of Foreign
Nations.
OPPOSITION TO SCHEME
MANIFEST IN SENATE
Danger to United States Is Seen in
Any Limitation of Armament.
Favored Abroad.

\
proposition in the interest Of universal
peace, Secretary of State Bryan at noon
today submitted to the diplomatic corps,
assembled in the State Department for
the OCCASION. the draft of the proposed
agreement for the settlement of all dis
putes that might become cause of war.
| The President is prepared to enter into
agreement with all nations along the lines
suggested. The agreement. Secretary
Bryan stated. is to supplement existing
arbitration treaties. and such as may
hereafter be entered into, closing the gap
left open by all such treaties which with
hold some subjects from arbitration, so
that no subject of dispute shall be ex-
copied under this agreement. The agree
ments proposed may differ in the ques-
ton of time provided for investigation
and consideration of disputes. but other
wise are expected to bear a general SIM
ilarity.
Draft of Agreement.
The draft of the agreement, as submit
ted to the representatives Of foreign ma
lions, is as follows:
1.-THE parties hereto agree that all ques-
tons of whatever character and nature,
in dispute between them, shall, when
investigation and report to an interna-
ticnal commission the composition to be
agreed upon, and the contracting parties
agree not to declare war or begin HOSTILE
ties until such investigation is made and
report submitted.
THE investigation shall be conducted
as matter of course. upon the initiative
of the commission, without the formality
of a request from either party; the re-
port shall be submitted within Cime to
80 f1,n a tn of
submission of the dispute. but the parties
hereto reserve the right to act independ-
emily on the subject matter in dispute
after the report is submitted"
DIR. Konstantin Dumba. the new Aus
tria- Hungary ambassador, who is to pre-
sent his credentials to the President this
afternoon, was among the assembled Dip
lomats. The corps was generally repre-
scented.
Bryan's Statement.
Secretary Bryan. in presenting the
draft of the agreement to the representa-
tives of the nations, said:
This draft embodies the principal
points of an agreement which the Presi-
dent of the United States is willing to
enter into, with the consent of the Sem
ate. with all other nations. 1t does not
attempt to go into detail, because details
are matters of agreement between con-
tracing nations and may be different in
different cases.
THE statement presented to the repre-
sentatives is only intended TO set forth
the main proposition, namely, that the
President desires to enter into an agree
ment with each nation severally for the
investigation of all questions of every ma
tIre whatever.
Purpose of the Plan.
s.TbiS aoroou,anf ic intended 70 S,,nplo
ment the arbitration treaties now In
hereafter. Arbitration treaties always
except some question from arbitration.
The agreement proposed by the president
is intended to close the gap and leave
no dispute that can become a cause of
war withou' investigation.
THE time within which the report is
to be made is left to be agreed upon and
1t may be that the time will differ In
different cases; but any time. however
short, furnishes al opportunity for in
vestigation and elaboration. and it is
hoped that the period provided for in
vestigation and elaboration will be suf1i-
Gent to secure settlement without re-
sort to war.
''It will be noticed that each party is
to reserve the right to act Independently
after the report Is submitted, but it is
after it has had an opportunity to confer
during the investigation, with the OPP
posing nation.
But whether the proposed agreement
accomplishes as much as is hoped for 1t,
it is at least a step in the direction of
the agent through whom the President
presents this proposition to the powers
represented here
Opposition in Senate.
Secretary's Bryan's plan has stirred
up considerable opposition among SEN
ators. 1t was Mr. Bryan's impression
when he left the committee room that his
plan would have the approval of the COM
mittee, and, in fact. the majority of the
members of the committee expressed
themselves in favor of the general idea
of making some form of agreements with
other countries for the development of
peaceful relations. The details of his
plan, however. were not passed upon, and
1t was indicated later by senators that
the Senate would reserve it's full author
ity to pass on every feature of the inter-
national agreements, if any We're per-
fected by the Wilson administration
Some senators today expressed their
disapproval Of the plan suggested by Mr.
Bryan. They declared that the United
States was today feeling the effects of
too hasty action in regard to making
treaties and the proposition advanced
that the Clayton-Bulwer and Hay
Pauncefote treaties be abrogated
One member of the committee suggest
ed that it would be absurd to make such
treaties. He said:
Suppose that the United States should
make such a treaty with Mexico and bind
herself not to increase her armament
ences under consideration with that
country. And suppose that Japan moved
against us in the meantime. While we
were maintaining our existing military
status, what do you suppose that Japan
would be doing?"
Viewed With Favor Abroad.
The extent to which other not. ons may
have been :'sounded" on the proposition
was not fully disclosed to the committee.
Secretary Bryan intimated, however. that
one or two foreign powers viewed the
plan with favor.
Some senators insisted that the United
States could not afford to submit any
questions Of national honor of vital inter-
est to Joint commission OF investigation,
or to refrain for any stated time from
making preparations to defend itself.
Several of the senators were skeptical
as to the success Of the Bryan plan with
European powers. They argued that few
of the great powers were likely to bind
themselves with the United States not to
increase their armament for any definite
time, when during that period they might
md themselves involved In difficulty