Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-05
SETTLING GREAT QUESTIONS

Snugly tucked away in the most lux
urious suite Of government Offices I'm
Washington, drawing the comfortable
salary of $500 Il year each and un-
harassed by TIA. petty vexatious which
make the life OF the average rcsponsi-
Die officeholder in Washington anything
but holiday, the members Of the In
ternatiunal Joint Commission, United
states and Great Britain, pursue their
peaceful way. Cns.nsational in the
extreme Is tho work Of this modest
body, SO much 50 that its very uuies-
cchcc sometimes has provoked tho uues-
ton Is the commission really doing
anything? This question was limited
when the item OF $4,000 for tho work
OF the commission was reached in the
diplomatic and consular appropriation
bili ana then the statement WAS made
by Senator Jones. OF Washington, that
This is one Of the most important com
missions, II not the most Important.
tlht W" have Senator Jones further
ampliiicd this statement By showing
tAai since It's organization three years
ago this commission has hnulIy settled
and adjusted more coutrovcrsics he
tween tn" people OF Canada and the
United states and between tho two gov
Comments than were previously settled
and adjusted through tho diplomatic
agencies OF England and the United
states since the beginning Of our gov
ernncnt.
Members OF the Commission.
y review OF tho work OF tho COM
mission tends 10 bear out. In part AT
least. the renarkablc opinion expressed
by Senator Jones. The commission was
authorized by treaty with Great Brit
ain signed shortly before the close Of
the Roosevelt administration. but was
not organized until January 10, 1912.
It's original American members were
James y. Tawney, Or Minnesota, the
oh "a nf ln I,
mitt.e on Appropriations during the
Cannon regime: Frank *. Strccter. OF
New Hampshire. and former Senator
George Turner. OF WASHINGTON. H..
White Busbcy, formerly secretary TO
Speaker Cannon. was made secretary
of tho commission Mr. Tgwn"y still
remains a member, but tho otn.r gen
tlemcn have given place to former SEN
ator Obadiah Gardner. OF Maine CHAIR
mani, and former Governor r., II. Glenn.
OF North Carolina. Secretary Busbcy
has been succeeded NY Whitehead
kluttz. The commission has been as
signed very broad duties. although it's
power III certain respects Is limited TO
recommendation. By the expressed
terms OF the treaty the commission il
given final jurisdiction III all cases in
Solving the uses, distractions or Ill
versions. whether temporary or pcrma-
ncnt of the waters that mari; tho
boundary between Canada HNi the
United States Cor more than 1000 miles
In case. Of this character tho decisions
OF the commission arc not subject TO
appeal either on tho part OF Tho people
affected or on the part Of either gov"
ernment Under article Of the treaty
/ the high contracting parties have
agreed to refer questions. from time to
time, to tiic commission for iuvcsiiga
ton. and the commission il required.
on the request Of either government, to
examine and report on the law and the
facts, together with their recommends
lions, on All questions 50 referred. Find
ingS in such cases are not binding, but
1t is important To note that here stands
ready made what practically can be
used as an arbitration commission If
So desired. to which may he referred
any dispute OF any character arising
between the, United states and the
Dominion IN not tho British govern
mcnt.
Lake Of The Woods Controversy.
One Of the most important disputes
before tho commission is what is known
as the Lake OF tho Woods contro-
vcrsy. This has been pending between
the two governments since 1855, Tile
Lake Of the Woods is Il body of water
1.526 square miles i'm area and con
tainne more than 5000 scattered is
lands. BY the construction of the
Norman Dam at the outlet OF the lake.
at the city OF kenqra, Ontario, the level
OF tho lake was raised materially, sub
merging many thousands Of acres of
agricultural and timber lands in the
drainage area in both countries, which
includes about 5000 square miles.
Rainy Lake is a tributary Of the Lake
Of tho Woods and the construction Of
the international Dam at It's outlet also
raised the level of that lake and did
immense damage TO ripa riau owners
on both sides. It is estimated that
$4,000. 900 IL invested in industrial en-
tcrpriSeS alone i'm the territory affected
| by these two great constructions. The
commission has made "A complete topo-
graphic survey of the whole territory
and ia now proceeding to prepare its
recommendations.
The results OF the diversion Of the
waters OF the 81. Mary's River at Sauitc
ste. Mario have raised a dispute which
has been hanging for about twelve
years. Each government has author
lied diversion for power purposes or
the waters on each side of the swift.
but narrow river which connects Lake
superior with Lake Huron. and the
effect or the construction has been 10
obstruct tho natural outlet Of Lake
Superior and raise the mean level OF
the lake Il few Inches. The commits
sion is now determining what condi-
tons may be necessary to protect the
rights and interests OF the people of
both countries against injury in con-
sequence OF this obstruction. The COM
mission may require ndcmnitics or tho
construction of additional protective
works. In the cases OF the Michigan
Northern Power Company and the Al