The War in Tripoli and Arbitration. 



453 



crimes against the comity of nations. They only say, 

 ' To the Hague '. ' because at the Hague is the 

 nearest approach to an International High Court at 

 jirc-sent in existence. 



"The route by Bucharest will be taken because of 

 th'' quarantine imjiosed by Bulgaria upon travellers 

 from Constantinople. Belgrade and Sofia could be 

 visited on the return journey. Delegates from the 

 Bulgarian and Servian parliaments could meet the 

 Delegation at Buda Pesth." 



The following is an outline of the probable course 

 of jiroceedings. On arriving at any capital the 

 Delegation will be met by the members of the local 

 Interparliamentary (Jroup and conducted to their 

 hotel. They will discuss together what means can l)e 

 taken to bring the (juestion of suli.stituting arbitration 

 for war before the attention of the Government and 

 the public. The means which will be adopted will 

 most probably be the following : — 



(i) I'^aeh delegate will pay iiis respects to the local 

 representative of his own Government and endeavour 

 to enlist iiis sympathy and sujiport. 



(2) 'i'he Delegation will endeavour to secure 

 through the agency of the local group, (n) the placard- 

 ing in cons|)ieuous places throughout the country of 

 the Ottoman Appeal to the Nations, and {6) the 

 despatch by post of appeals to every person in a 

 representative or influential position in the country, 

 asking them to append their names to the inter- 

 national demand for arbitration. 



{3) The Delegation will then address one or more 

 |)ul)lic meetings, at which re-olutions will be sub- 

 miite<l demandmg that the dispute now inflamed by 

 war should be submitted to a Court of Arbitral 

 Justice for .settlemi.-nt, and calling upon the local 

 Oovernni'-iit to use its influence to support that 

 demand. 



(4) After the meeting the local parliamentary group 

 will intioduce the Delegation as a deputation to the 

 Foreign Minister, to whom they will state thtir case, 

 present the resolutions passed at the public meeting 

 and aj)peal for his support. 



(5) i'he local parliamentary group will be asked to 

 nominate om- of their members to accompany the 

 Delegation on its progress through other ca|)itals, so 

 that when ii reaches London the original nucleus of 

 Ottonjans will be surrounded by twi<:e their number 

 of delegates from other nations, all united in present- 

 ing the same reijuest. 



(6^ There will also be an interchange of ho.spitali- 

 ties, interviews with the press, and all the usual 

 subsidiary means of rousing public attention and 

 educating public opinion. 



Jt is evident that if this programme or even one- 

 half of it be carried out. the net eflect of the com- 

 bined ap[)eal by the accredited representatives of so 

 many Parliaments would be innnen.se. It would 

 ri|)en opinion in f.ivour of a much more drastic and 

 I ompulsory International ("ourl than that \vhi( h at 



present exists, it would warn the nations of their 

 danger, and it would incidentally confer upon the 

 ()ttomans the M??/ riVc- of bearing the standard of 

 Arbitration and Justice through the world. 



As a natural consequence, if the Italian Govern- 

 ment persisted in refusing to submit to Arbitration it 

 it would create a very bad atmosphere for Italy in 

 every country in Europe. It would increase the 

 chances that the Italian Government would, like that 

 of Russia in 1878, be compelled to appear before a 

 new Conference of Berlin. 



Although it forms no official part of the |)rogramnie 

 of the Delegation, individual members will probably 

 recommend the boycotting of Italian products, manu- 

 factures, stocks, etc., as a simple but effective method 

 of showing the resentment aroused by the lawless 

 outrage perpetrated by the Italian Government upon 

 Treaty faith and the rights of nations. 



THE WAR IN TRIPOLI. 

 Tm- Ottoman Appeal to the Peoples of thk 



Civil, isF.n World. 

 T(i the Men of Great Brilaiii. 



Like a brigand from the mountains, the Italian 

 Government in a time of profound peace has suddenly 

 swooped down upon our country, and is trying to 

 make Tripoli her captive. 



It is our turn to-day, it may be yours to-morrow. 



We appeal to you for your energetic assistance to 

 defend the common interests of civilisation and 

 humanity against the lawless aggression of plundering 

 Powers. 



We are not making war upon the Italians. 



The Italian Government is making war upon us in 

 order to steal our provinces.in the interest of financial 

 speculators. 



The Italian (iovernment has bombarded our sea- 

 ]iorls, slaughtered oin- people, and .seized the whole 

 of our African Coast lines. It continues to prosecute 

 its campaign with unrelenting fury. 



We ask lor peace, for a cessation of hostilities, and 

 above all we ask th.nt the whole dispute may be at 

 once referred to the im[)artial arbitration of the 

 Tribunal of the Hague. 



'i'he world established that Tribunal to be "ac- 

 cessible to all." We ask you to help us to gain 

 access to it for the settlement of our disputes on the 

 principles of equity and righi. 



We do not ask you to suppurt our cause against 

 the cause of Italy. 



Still less do we ask Id be alloweil to act as judges 

 in our own cause. 



We ask only that the International Tribunal which 

 you have established shall not be closed to us by the 

 refusal of the aggressor to submit to its jurisdiction. 

 Brothers : 



It is not merely the fate of 'I'ripoli which is at 

 Slake. It is the future of our race. The defence of 

 the authority of the Hague Tribunal is the first dul\ 

 of <ivilise(l Slates. 



