Show I INTERN TINAL ARBITRATION Meeting of Prominent Business Busi-ness and Other Men in Washington ABSENCE OF OFFICIALS Generalities Upon the Beneficence of Arbitration ExSecretary of State Foster Believes Be-lieves Thai a Better Solution of International Difficulties Slay Be Found Than the Bloody Arbitration Arbitra-tion of VurA Record Already Hade That Is Almost Without a Parallel Hope for the Future WASHINGTON April 22Three hundred distinguished looking men satIn sat-in Metzerotts hotel this afternoon for a conference to promote the propaganda for international arbitration which has been supported by many religious and secular organizations since the Venezuela Vene-zuela boundary dispute first inspired talk of war with Great Britain and the United States There were several prominent publicists pub-licists and business men conspicuous in the proceedings but the rank and file of the delegateswho number some 300 and came from most of the states and territories were educators and clergy men There was a notable absence of government gov-ernment officials for although invita tions had been extended to the president presi-dent his cabinet the supreme court all members of both houses of congress any many others of the political circle and though the cooperation of many I of these dignitaries had been counted I upon not one of them put in an appearance ap-pearance at the afternoon meeting THE PROCEEDINGS of the first session were entirely harmonious har-monious the speeches dealt in generalities gen-eralities upon the beneficience of arbitration arbi-tration No utterances were made which might tend to embarrass the administration in the conduct of pending pend-ing diplomatic negotiations with England Eng-land or Spain Before the meeting Secretr Olney a visited by a com mittee who outlined the plans for the conference and submitted for his submIted approval ap-proval the resolutions whicih will be presented to the conference tomorrow The secretary of state found nothing to criticise in the resolutions and crtcise reolutons expressed ex-pressed sympathy with the objects of the meeting Although no references were made to present international questions the whole tenor of the speeches was toward an agreement for arbitration between the two English speaking nations Mr Gardiner Hubbard of Washington Wash-ington called the conference to order and his introduction of the temporary chairman exSecretary of State JOHN W FOSTER as The Arbitrator between China and Japan evoked applause i I After a few words of welcome in behalf be-half of the local committee and the municipal authorities of Washington Mr Foster said I cannot refrain from expressing my pride at the record which our cause has made in the past half century of unbroken peace with all the nations of the earth and of a steady adherence to the settlement of the international differences by the pacific method of arbitration record almost without parallel among the nations of the earth You have not therefore assembled to recommend to our government any new departure in its policy on this subject but rather to STRENGTHEN AND CONFIRM IT in the policy so long and so consistently consist-ently followed Compulsory arbitration between nations na-tions presents problems and difficulties not easy of solution and it will be a great gain to the general cause if out of your deliberations a plan shall be evolved which will meet the objections and solve the difficulties I seems a I Utopian idea to anticipate a general i disarmament of nations in our generation genera-tion and until barbarism and the spirit of conquest and oppression shall be banished from the earth governments govern-ments will be forced to maintain arm and navies But certainly ies among people who profess to be governed by the principles of common Christianity and especially between nations kindred kin-dred in lineage language and institutions institu-tions a better method o adjusting the differences which must arise between them must be found than by the BLOODY ARBITRAMENT OF WAR I Next Judge Daly for the committee on permanent organization reported the I selection of the following officers President Presi-dent Hon George F Edmunds also a list of vicepresidents representing every state in the union and including the following Colorado N RHill California Califor-nia John T Valentine Montana G W H Dewitt Nevada J W Adams Oregon Ore-gon D S K Ruick Utah George Q Cannon Washington Governor John H McGraw Wyoming Governor W A Richards Mr Edmunds was escorted to the platform I j form and in a graceful speech he said I This assemblage representing the I largest civilized homogenous body of men i and women on the globe is extraordinary extraordin-ary The United States is among the strongest nations of the world It has the least reason of any great nation in I a mere selfish sense to wish for arbitration arbitra-tion 1 is strong enough In any but the most absurd cause to defend itself I j to promote its policies and to carry on I war but its very strength impels It to be backward I WAS A PITIFUL THOUGHT he said that in this time of peace over nearly all the world more than a million lion men capable of taking part in the progress of civilization were kept underarms under-arms and a billion dollars diverted to their support That time must come when the armies of the world like that of the United States would be a mere police body The force of public opinion must be as constant as the law of gravitation gv itation for solving the difficult problem of ending war The time would comes when armies for aggressive purposes would b dissolved and the angel of peace would blow her trumpet over all the world A letter rom Chief Justice Fuller was read conveying the regret that his health and public duties would prevent b < him from testifying by his presence his approval of THE GREAT CAUSE of the convention Also a letter from Andrew Carnegie who referred to the I movement as the noblest cause of this generation and who in a postcrlpt mentioned the enclosure of a check tor 100 to help defray the expenses of the meeting I In the course of the general business Mr John Doniphan of St Joseph Mo I created no little stir by moving that Mr Carnegies gift b returned to him because be-cause Air Carnegie had made his wealth through contracts to furnish the govern ment with munitions of war And he continued the press charges him whether justly or unjuady with making large profs by stinting the employes in hs work He declared that the boards of trade of the country should pay the expense of the meeting and that it will be a humiliation to accept ac-cept Mr Carnegies gift The motion was opposed by Delegate Weeks of Pitts burg editor of the Iron Manufacturer and was buried under a large majority THE NIGHT SESSION of the conference attracted a large audience audi-ence The speakers were Hon Carl Schurts of New York President Angel of Michigan Michi-gan university and Kdward Atkinson of Boston President Angel took issue with most of the speakers in a ringing declaration that the United States should stand ready to fight for honor and her territory Each of the speakers at the night session touched upon current questions President Angel said the practical difficulties culties in establishing a general court of arbitration for several nations are very serious even if all the principal powers are ready for it But we have no evidence that they are ready I is however not extravagant to hope that such a course may be set up by Great Britain and ourselves our-selves Possibly we are more IN DANGER OF DRIFTING into war on slight occasions than we were forty years ago We have brought out of our civil war a new consciousness of military strength which has its temptations tempta-tions and its dangers One of the great advantages of a compulsory resort of arbitration ar-bitration is that time must be gained for reflection In conclusion he said Our army is now I hardly large enough for the police power which it is liable tobe called upon to exer else But let us make no claims m other cse I nations which are net just claims Let us show our confidence in the justice of them by our willingnes to submit to a properly constituted tribunal all questions between us and other powers which do not involve I our honor or our independence Mr Schurz held arbitration to be practical prac-tical because eighty disputes had been settled by that method in this country I and had stayed settled while the results of great wars had not stayed settled but had been subject to the shifting of power Mr Atkinsons speech was largely a I plea for the abolition of privateering Cities should be declared free from bombardment bom-bardment and spoliation making such reservation re-servation for the defenses of harbors a would forbid the ships of any petty state from entering by force Why he asked should it be the duty of officers of the navy to do what would disgrace officers of the army 7 |