The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-09-26
THE VERA CRUZ INCIDENT AND THE A
- B. G. MEDIATION-Bryan Treaties *
By JAMES D. WHELAN

able part of that country we could not
logically refuse to do so.
But" says a critic, isn't such
agreement an evidence of spineless-
ness, supineness, and the like to which
no red blooded American will submit?"
So some politicians tell us And yet
many famous American statesmen
have thought differently and have
gone a great deal further, for they
have advocated submitting all ques-
tions to final arbitration instead of
merely waiting year to try to settle
them peacefully.
what statesmen"
Well, in 1851, the senate committee
on foreign relations reported in favor
of arbitration treaties with other ma
tons for the submission of "All flu
ture misunderstanding that cannot be
satisfactorily adjusted by negotiations
in the first instance, before a resort
to hostilities shall be had" Two years
later the same committee reported in
favor of similar provision in "All
treaties hereinafter entered into"
In 1872 the celebrated Senator
Charles Sumner introduced a resolu-
ton which read: Resolved, that in
the determination of international diff
ferences arbitration should become a
substitute for war in reality as well
as in name, AND THEREFORE, CO.
EXTENSIVE WITH WAR IN JURIS-
DICTION, so that ANY question or
grievance which might be the occasion
for war or misunderstanding between
nations should be considered by this
tribunal"
In 1874 a resolution for general ar
bitration passed the house of repre-
sentatives
In 1883 President Arthur and Secre-
tary of State Frelinghusen entered in
to a treaty for the arbitration of all
questions with Switzerland and sub
mitted it to the senate with approval
for ratification.
On June IA, John Sherman in behalf
of the senate committee on foreign
) relations of which he was chairman
introduced a resolution into the senate
asking President Cleveland to endeav-
. or to invite ANY government witt
which the United States has or may
! have diplomatic relations to the END
that ANY difference or dispute arising
between the two governments which
NdnuOl NC duJuo1CN ~ NipAOAioNh'
agency may be referred to arbitration
and peacably adjusted by such means.
On February IA, 1890, the senate anC
on April 3, 1890 the house, both Re
publican, passed resolutions eXactl!
similar to the ones offered two years
before by Senator Sherman. On Apri
= IS, 1890, the International American
congress passed resolutions in favor
of adopting treaties of the kind above
recommended, among all countries o
the western hemisphere. with the sol'
exception, that if one nation tried t
destroy the independence of another
arbitration should be optional will
the one imposed on but obligatOr.
with the aggressor. OF this propose
James G Blaine, then secretary o
state, said: I'VE hold up this new
Megna Charta which abolishes wa
and substitutes arbitration between tn
American republics as the first ant
great fruit of the International Ameri
can Conference" Unfortunately 70
the prediction it was not until William
Jennings Bryan became secretary o
state that the resolution was embodieI
into a treaty. When Richard Olne.
/ became secretary of state under Pres
ident Cleveland, during the secon'
term of the latter, he with the cooper
alton of the president, undertook Il
negotiate with European nations tn
| sort of treaties recommended by bot