Norwich bulletin., 1916-02-22

chant in any community.
 The home rule bill which was made a law, by which a city may adopt a new charter by the action of its own citizens, without submitting the ques- tion to the legislature, may be of ad- vantage to Norwich. New London or any other city. These laws. and oth- srs, which were enacted by the initia- tive of the state chamber, could not | have been brought about by any one body acting alone. But the local or | ganization owes a duty not only to US The question of state finance and tax atton is always an important one, and the state chamber Is devoting much l time to il this year.
 To Consider the Subject.
 A strong committee has been ap- pointed to eonsider the subject, and it is the design of this committee to have cooperate with ft all the inter ests subject to state taxation; the pub lie utility corporations. the insurance companies. banks, manufacturers, etc. To make a scientific study of tax laws in this and other states. in the hopes that all these interests can unite on some scheme that will be fairly satis- factory to each, and to present such plan to the legislature of 1917, and save much or all of the wrangiing and dis proposed laws. Such a thing accom- plished would be of the greatest ben eft.
 Relation Should Be Brought Closer.
 Now if there Is this intimate con- nection between the state body and the local, 1t follows that that relation should be brought closer and closer all the time; by regular attendance and active cooperation of your represent alive on the state board of directors, presenting the views and opinions of the local. and by ever increasing know ledge on the part of the local body of what the state organization is at- tempting to accomplish.
 Here Is a field of development which stops with no section of the state, but embraces the whole. Here Is a glori- ous opportunity for the local cham | crease its usefulness not only to it's | own community but also to our be- | loved commonwealth.
 George Grafton Wilson, professor of International law, Harvard university, followed Mir. Pease.
 Professor Wilson said: Events of | recent months have called attention to | the instability of international rela- tions. Many of these relations were presumed to be firmly established | through the contractural obligations | of treaties. Treaties ran in every di- rection, covering all civilized states. | The United States has over a thou sand pages of treaties in force, and this would seem to be sufficient to make international understandings rare. There is a collection of treaties known as the "map of Europe treaty. in four bulky volumes. The lack of l written agreements among states can | not therefore be offered as a reason for the unsettled conditions in the world.
 | these agreements are of the right kind | even if sufficient in quantity. A read | ing of treaties would show aspirations | which would meet general approval As an instance may be cited the treaty | Of 1S46 between the United States and Colombia (New Granada), the prelim- mary article of which states:
 | The United States of North Amer lea and the Republic of New Granada, in South America, desiring Tn make lasting and firm the friendship and good understanding which happily ex- ist between both nations, have re- | solved to fix, in a manner clear, dis | tinct and positive, the rules which shall in future be religiously observed be- | tween each other, by means of a and friendship. commerce and naviga- | tion."
 It is under this treaty that the United States in 164s guaranteed "the | which New Granada (Colombia) has and possesses" in the isthInus of Pan | anna It is of this strip of territory that former president of the United States said in a speech May 23, 1911: | 'I am interested in the Panama canal because started 1t. If I had followed traditional conservative methods | should have submitted a dignified state paper of probably two hundred pages to the congress-. and the debate would the canal zone. and let congress de- bate, and while the debate goes on. the canal does also" How far the | policy of the United States in regard to the Panama canal has been justi- fable is still a matter for wide dif- ference of opinion.
 | To Guarantee Peace.
 The protocol of the treaty of 1881 signed by Austria, France. Great
 Britain, Prussia and Russia stated
 that 1t was their unanimous opinion
 that they should labor not for any in
 crease of their territory, exclusive in | duence or separate advantage, but to give to Belgium itself as well as neigh
 boring states the best guarantees of
 peace and security, and later article
 provides that Belgium shall form an
 independent and perpetually neutral
 state" This perpetual neutrality was | supposed to be continuing in August,
 1914, by many who read only the words
 of treaties. There was therefore sur
 prise and protest when it was discov-
 cred that the words of the treaty were
 not sufficient to secure their observ-
 ance. The neutralized states had
 themselves feared this might be the fact, and Belgium had been planning
 a larger army and Switzerland was maintaining a well organized military
 force. Indeed, within ten years the
 neutralized states of Europe and other
 minor states of western Europe had | under contemplation a league for the
 defense of their neutrality. This atti- | tude of the states seemed to imply a
 lack of confidence in treaty engage l ments unless a somewhat adequate military force was behind the party
 desiring the observance of the treaty. 1 Certain statesmen of wide experi-
 ence and of great influence had an- | nounced that treaty agreements i'm
 piled something of ''the character of a
 moral sanction to the arrangements. ''
 Others asserted that the observance of
 treaties would be conditioned by the
 political convenience of the state, and
 one of the latest characterizations in a
 "scrap of paper.'
 To Secure Stable Relations.