question of arbitration centered about the establishment of a permanent
tribunal or international court of arbitration to which nations might
bring their disagreements for settlement. The United States delegation
favored making a definite list of the kinds of disputes which nations
would be compelled to bring to the tribunal for settlement. On the other
hand, the Kaiser himself sent a dispatch from Berlin in which he spoke
strongly against anything in the nature of an arbitration tribunal.
Largely through the efforts of Mr. Andrew D. White, head of the American
delegation, the German government was brought to modify its stand.
Germany finally agreed to the creation of the tribunal, but only on
condition that in no case should the submission of a dispute to it be
compulsory. The tribunal was to be established, but it would have the
right to render a decision only in those cases which the disagreeing
nations might decide to submit to it.

The Hague Tribunal is not made up of permanent judges like an ordinary
court. It consists of persons (not more than four from each country)
selected by the various nations from among their citizens of high
standing and broad knowledge of international affairs. From this long
list any powers between whom there is a disagreement may choose the
persons to form a court or tribunal for their special case.

THE SECOND HAGUE CONFERENCE.--The conference of 1899 had proved an
absolute failure so far as disarmament and compulsory arbitration were
concerned. In fact the years immediately following were marked by two
destructive wars: that between Great Britain and the Boers of South
Africa, and the war between Russia and Japan. These wars made it clear
that with the applications of modern science warfare had become so
terrible that, if the nations could not arrange by agreement for its
abolition, they should at least take steps to lessen its horrors. This