PEACE, OR A BLIND?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1112, 27 April 1911, Page 5

PEACE, OR A BLIND?

MR. TAFTiS SCHEME. RECIPROCITY AND DISRUPTION By Teleeraph-Press Association-Coy.vrislil London, April 23. Tho "Morning Post" (Unionist) states that President Tatt's unlimited arbitration proposal is a blind to divert the attention of England from the truo objective—thu reciprocity scheme. "When," says the "Post," "Mr. Taft is offering unrestricted arbitration, he is doing his utmost to disrupt the British Empire." SIR EDWARD GREY AND MR. TAFT'S SCHEME. MR. BALFOUR AGREES. Personally, I do not see any reason why matters of national honour should not be referred to courts of arbitration as matters of private or national property are. I Know that is going xurther than most men are willing to go, but I do not see why questions of honour should not bo submitted to tribunals composed of men of honour who understand questions of national honour, to abide by their decision as well as in other questions of difference arising between nations.—President Tatt. In these words, which Sir Edward Grey made tiie text ol his> speech in the House of Commons in March, the President of the United States loreshadowed a great scheme tor ensuring the peace ot the world and lightening tho burden oi armaments that presses so heavily on mankind. No proposals, as' Sir Edward Grey was careful to point out, have been .made to givo immediate effect to this scheme. But it is true, none the less, that the proposals have been the subject of conversations between President 'raft and Mr. James Bryce, the British Ambassadoi to the United States. « The scheme, briefly, is this. Two or more of the Great Powers are to make a binding agreement to submit to arbitration every dispute that may ariso among them. No question is to be excluded, not even questions of honour and independence and-vital interests that are now withdrawn from existing treaties of arbitration and from The Hague Tribunal. These Powers are to pledge tlieni•selves to accept the finding of the Arbitration Court and never in any circumstances to engage in war with one another. In order that this engagement to perpetual peace may not be disturbed by any hostilo Power, the contracting parties aro to pledge themselves to unite their armed forces against any other nation that threatens to attack any of the contracting Powers. The effect of such an example, as Sir Edward Grey said, would have beneficent consequences on the world at large. And if the example failed to influence, the combined forces at the command of the Treaty Powers could not fail to deter, coerce or punish any nation that refused arbitration and chose to aopeal to the sword. Mr. Balfour on behalf of the Unionist party has expressed himself in entire agreement with Sir Edward Grey. The German Government alleges that it is ready to treat with Britain in the direction of naval agreement, as suggested by Sir Edward Grey. .An official communique to this effect has been published in the "North German Gazette." Tho Government, organ declares that if "agreements" will contribute anything towards eradicating tho "mistrust" which Sir E. Grey alleges is prevalent in British public opinion with regard to tho German naval armaments, Germany for her part "is gladly prepared to stretch out her hand." There is no reference whatever in the communique to the German naval programme, nor any hint as to the length to which Germany's "outstretched hand" might bo prepared to reach. Tho general expression of an inclination to consider the British proposals is preceded by tho assurance that the Foreign Secretary's utterances on the intcrnatiaiiar situation and German-British relations in particular, "can- only bo greeted by Germany with sincere satisfaction." That, too, it is stated, applies to "Sir E. Grey's nresentment. of tho armaments question," which, it is declared, "does justice in such high degree to tho German standpoint that it opens up a gratifying persneclive for a further development of Anglo-German relations." The "North German Gazette" then proceeds to pour cold water upon Sir Edward Grey's views in connection with Mr. Taft's scheme of arbitration. It a!!rp"s with Si'' E. Grey that "it is a long sten" from Gerninnv's . williiiTness to "stretch out Iw hand" to an "ideal condition of worM-peace ba-ed upon courts of arbitration."