New Britain herald., 1927-11-07
of making war a crime and peace

u ledS ue Ol udllOllS ana "OrlQ court were part and parcel of the essential machinery for a world peace! And. though he could not carry his country into that league, it was nevertheless in the beginning very largely his creation.
 True. America invited the great powers to participate in a great dis armament conference and set them all. at first. an example in the re- duction Of her army and navy inso- far as she felt it wise. True. Ameri- ca has contributed one judge to the world court bench, and considerable unofficial brains and very welcome cash to certain aspects of the leagues present program. Still. what can We say of our record in this matter of arbitration?
 'Go back over your American his tory, and you will find that since 179S. when the St. Croix river boundary dispute with Great Britain was settled by arbitration, the United States has been party to "A arbitrations with as many as 24 different nations. The questions dealt with have been freedom of the seas, disputed territories, obliga- tions of a central state, maritime jurisdiction, contract claims, claims for debts and numerous other con- troversial matters.
 Notwithstanding the interest of the people of the United States in the peaceful settlement of all dis putes. the senate-for years back has been refusing to ratify any treaty that would obligate it to sub init disputes to arbitratio Listen to this for consistent allegiance to policy of isolation and the mainte- nance of national sovereignty
 Tn 1897, the Olney- treaty was signed by representatives of the United States and Great Brit ain. This treaty provided for obli- gatory arbitration on the part of both nations. Presidents Cleveland and Mckinley backed the treaty, SO did the people. But, the senate withheld it's consent and the treaty failed.
 Tn 1904, Secretary of State John Hay concluded a series of arbitra- tion treaties with a number of states. All the customary provisions re- garding vital interest, independence and national honor were written into these treaties. Yet, once again, the senate refused to give it's con- sent to these treaties, and they were latterly withdrawn.
 President Taft, in 1911, submit ted to the senate general arbitra- ton conventions with Great Britain and France. It was provided that in the event any doubt existed as to whether or not particular event was justifiable, the issue should be decided by joint high commis- sion. But what happened? The senate objected on the ground that this was an unconstitutional dele gaton of power. AS result, the lFeaIltS were lcIL ulll dllilcu.
 Among the reservations attached to the senate resolution agreeing to the adherence of the United States to the permanent court of interna- tional justice, the second half Of the fifth reservation proposed to estab- fish the right of the United States to veto any request for an advisory opinion on any question in when the United States has or claims an interest. This reservation, without further interpretation or classitica- tion, was not acceptable to the na- tions members of the world court.
 "Be 1t said to the credit Of the other nations, however, that in or der to try and clear up the diffi- culty raised. they suggested a con- ference. Surely this offer was sin cere and courteous enough. Never theless it was not and has not been accepted by the United States.
 "Right here the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America and the Congregational commission on international relations, of which former Governor William E. Sweet of Colorado is the chairman, ana your own pastor a member, has proposal to make.
 "Those Of you, who keep up on foreign affairs, will remember that on April 6, 1927, on the occasion Of the tenth anniversary of the entry of the United States into the World War, Mir. Briand, foreign minister of the Republic of France, addressed an informal message to the Ameri- can people. In this message, MT. Briand indicates the willingness of France to negotiate a treaty with the United States to renounce war between them as legitimate method for settling their disputes.
 "'France would be willing said M. Briand. to subscribe publicly with the United States to any neu- tral agreement tending to outlaw war, to use an American expression. as between these two countries In other words, as an instrument of policy would be forever renounced between France and ofr own corfn- try.
 In June, announcement was made at Washington that Ambassa- dor Herrick at Paris had been in- structed to inform M. Briand of the willingness of our department Of