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Show ARBITRATION TREATIES. President "Wilson appears to have tho majority members of tho senate pretty much under control, the action taken by the foreign relations committee in favorabl- reporting the arbitration treaties that have been so long hanging firo being a pretty sure indication that the prodding givon at the recent "White houso conferonco was effective. These treaties provido for limited arbitration ar-bitration of questions which cannot bo adjusted by diplomacy, thoso affecting the honor,' independence or vital interests inter-ests of tho high contracting parties being be-ing expressly excluded. Thoy do not go so far as the Taft treaties, which in-cludo in-cludo virtually all questions of dispute bctwecu nations and upon which the senate never could be induced to take action. It is said these Wilson-Bryan conventions, conven-tions, while drawn primarily for tho purpose of arbitration, have a much larger significance in affecting tho political po-litical and international relations between be-tween tho United States and other countries. A sort of entering wedgo, so to speak. It is claimed they would establish a bulwark which would lesseu tho possibility of complications on any of the existing foroign problems. These include the questions growing out of the Mexican war, the Panama tolls dispute dis-pute with Great Britain, the issues raised by Japan in connection with tho California alieu land law and some other oth-er vexatious matters. It is quilo probablo the senate may vote favorably upou these limited arbitration ar-bitration treaties in substantial!- their present form. "Whether tho. senators can be induced to follow Secretary Bryan's Bry-an's lead and agree that "all questions of whatever character and nature" shall, when diplomatic efforts fail, bo submitted to an international commission commis-sion for investigation, the contracting nations agreeing "not to declare war or begin hostilities until such investigation investiga-tion is made and report submitted," is quite another matter. The proposition proposi-tion to submit questions of national honor to arbitration is suro to awaken hostility even if it is for tho most part clap-trap and buncombe. Civilization has never been successful success-ful in stopping the barbarous custom of dueling which is resorted to for settlement set-tlement of questions of "honor" among individuals. Tt is but natural to suppose, sup-pose, therefore, thnt it will bo equally difficult to prevent tho settlement of questions of honor between nations on thc field of battle. It is true that the individual whoso "honor" is thought to have been impaired is quito often killed by lm adversary and it is equally equal-ly true that nations taking up arms for the sake of honor are frequently compelled com-pelled to pay heavy indemnity and part with rich li nances after their soldiers havo been slaughtered. The trend of sentiment among tho enlightened en-lightened people of the world is distinctly dis-tinctly in favor of a peace pact between be-tween nations, but prejudice is hard to nvcretino and politic tns are frequently able to thnart the nts of the widest of statosmon. The ontlook is not fa-vorablo fa-vorablo for Sccrotary Bryan 's advanced ideas at tho present time, but ho may win in the end. |