ARBITRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 311, 26 May 1911, Page 5

ARBITRATION.

THE PROPOSED TREATY. SIR EDWARD GREY'S DECLARATION. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright London. May 24. Lord Roberts presided at the Pilgrims' banquet to the visiting Premiers at the Savoy. Sir Edward Grey dwelt in enthusiastic tones on the projected Anglo-American arbitration treaty. He said that the success of such a treaty must be dependent on the absence of any possibility of the conflict of the national policies of the two parties to the treaty. This condition was assured. Secondly, there must be between the two Governments confidence in each other's reasonableness and goodwill. The history of the last few years showed that reason, reasonableness and goodwill were characteristic of all the negotiations between America and Britain.

"If," he added, "it is true that the proposed treaty merely sets a seal on a satisfactory state of things already existing, let us seal it. If we do not we shall be like the unprofitable servant who wrapped his talent in a napkin. There may be people i»j other countries asking whether they, too, shall not do likewise, and this will lead to the sifting and weighing of the causes of the differences between nations and produce progressively favorably results." "We shall rejoice," Sir Edward Grey added, "if Mr. Taft's initiative leads directly or indirectly to beneficial consequences to other countries besides Britain and America."

Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Sir Joseph Ward responded for the Premiers. JAPAN'S ATTITUDE. Toklo, May 24. It is officially stated that Japan Is prepared to participate In the negotiations for a general arbitration treaty with the United States.