MR. CARNEGIE AND THE LIMITATION OF ARMAMENTS.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR.'] SIR,—It gives me great pleasure to answer your question in the affirmative (Spectator, June 26th). Should any question arise under the existing Treaty between Japan and America, or under any Treaty hereafter made between the two Powers, covering rights of Japanese in America or any other subject which cannot be amicably solved, America would not wait to be asked by Japan to arbitrate ; she would be the first to offer arbitration, and she would abide the award, going rather a little too far in her effort to do so than falling a little short. So far all matters have been adjusted peaceably between these Powers, rendering arbitration unnecessary.
Pardon me, but I was inclined to resent the imputation implied in your question—that the American people would not accept a proposal to submit such disputes to arbitration— but I remembered that the Spectator was in a doubting mood
these days. It will not even take the leading Powers of Europe "at their word," and it does not believe practicable in our day a Commission amongst the States to rule the world, and yet within the last few weeks, almost within sight of its office, just such a force was created. Germany, France, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Russia, Japan, Britain, and America, without regard to other Powers (which, however, may be admitted upon application hereafter), have decided unani- mously to establish a tribunal to judge all questions connected with marine prize captures, Sze. Here we have the needed "hegemony in commission amongst a number of States," strong enough to enforce their decrees throughout the world n one important department of the world's activities. It is very easy to say, as the Spectator does in reference to this question, "All we can say is that we do not agree with him," but it cannot rest here very long when what it believes to be mpracticable in our day is already an accomplished fact in one important department of world affairs.
If these same Powers should arrive at another unanimous conclusion, viz., that the peace of the civilised world—now shrunk into a neighbourhood in the peace of which all nations are deeply interested—shall not be broken, but that all differ- ences arising between civilised nations must be settled by arbitration, this Commission would not differ from the first Commission which is already established, the peace of the world being only another department of the world's affairs.
The Spectator travels away back twenty years to recall that the United States Senate, while giving a majority, failed by a few votes to give a two-thirds vote for an Arbitration Treaty, although since then it has passed almost unanimously twenty-
three such Treaties, including the one with Britain which previously failed.
Let the dead past bury its dead, and let us fix our gaze
upon conditions of to-day as they exist, and know that all is well, since all continually grows better. The Spectator's faith
in God remains unimpaired, as all its readers feel, but neither organ nor man can accomplish much good in this world who has not also faith in man.—Your deeply indebted reader, since Skibo Castle, Dornoch, Sutherland.
[The question we asked Mr. Carnegie was
"Does he think that, if it were proposed that any disputes which might arise in the future between the "United States and Japan in regard to the treatment of the Japanese in America in matters of education, labour, and residence should be submitted to the decision of the Hague Tribunal, such a proposal would be accepted by the people of the United States ?"
We very much doubt whether they would allow Japan to take the State of California before the Hague Tribunal, and allow that tribunal to adjudicate on its alien legislation. He may, of course, be right, but that is not how we read the high, if generous, temper of his countrymen. We must not forget to acknowledge the courteous and friendly terms in which Mr. Carnegie writes of the Spectator.—ED. Spectator.]
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