The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1908. JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2262, 6 August 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1908. JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES.

Some little time back we received information by cablegram that there bad been signed at Washington a general arbitration treaty between the United States and Japan. Latest mails to hand give some details of this important agreement. The treaty, which will continue in force for five years, provides that all disputes of a legal nature or in regard to the interpretation of treaties, shall be settled by arbitration, but questions of honor, independence, and vital interests arc reserved for the arbitrament of war. It is similar to those already negotiated by the United States with England, France, Norway, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland, “but,” says the New York “Independent”, “it is much more important because it should put a stop to all this infamous talk of war between Japan and America, which lias been so insidiously and mysteriously prevalent of late.” We believe this treaty, therefore, marks one of the greatest steps forward in that movement, now fast becoming irresistible, for substituting law for war. For this notable achievement our contemporary gives a large share of credit to Secretary Root who, as the American representative at the Hague, accomplished excellent work when international peace was last discussed. To wliat degree such treaties are likely to act as preventives against war it is somewhat difficult to state precisely. As long as ‘honor’ and ‘vital interests’ are excepted from arbitra-

tion it will always be easy to find a protoxt for going to war, for honor and vital intorost cover as great a multitude of sins us of virtues. Tho time, apparently, has not yob come wlion it will bo safe to refer .all disputes to arbitration, for a nation might lay claim to another’s territory or independence, and this no powerful nation, is likely to submit to tho urbifi'umont of an outsider.