1172 
munity of individuals the duty to help 
the unfortunate among them. It is not 
going to cost us anything; it will proba- 
bly help our trade; but [am not advocat- 
ing either of those reasons as the basis 
for our action. The Lord did not give us 
the advantages we have without charging 
us with the responsibility of using them 
for the benefit of the world. 
Now as a means of preventing wars— 
frequent wars—these two treaties, small 
matters as they are, are more important 
than the other treaties that I have *>en 
discussing, though of course in their 
world importance and throughout a long 
period of years the latter are of vastly 
greater interest. But for the immediate 
settlement of war these two treaties are 
more direct than the treaties with France 
and with England. 
THE MONROE DOCTRINE 
Just here I am reminded that certain 
objections which I have not considered 
are advanced against the greater treaties. 
One is the Monroe Doctrine. The answer 
is that that doctrine does not come within 
the description of a justiciable matter. 
Sir Edward Grey said so on the floor of 
Parliament, and John Bassett Moore, an 
eminent authority on international law, 
has said the same thing. 
Again, it is urged that an attempt may 
be made to arbitrate a question of immi- 
gration, and that some undesirable race 
might thus be forced upon us. Well, it 
is a first principle of international law 
that each country shall decide for itself 
what aliens shall come within its borders. 
Congress could exclude, if it chose—I 
give the instance only to show the arbi- 
trary character of the power—all bald- 
headed immigrants, or all red - headed 
immigrants. ‘Therefore, unless we bind 
ourselves by treaty, there is no possible 
way of forcing the reference of such a 
question to arbitration. 
So it is with respect to the tariff. We 
have a right to exclude anything from 
coming into the country, or to impose 
any conditions upon its coming in; there- 
fore they could not force us to arbitrate 
the question of the tariff. Other ques- 
tions might be mentioned the reference 
THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 
of which to arbitration might embarrass 
us. Personally I] am willing to be em- 
barrassed. I think we ought to come to 
a point where we will not take positions 
that cannot be sustained under the rules 
of law and equity ; but I realize that there 
is a strong feeling the other way, and we 
have not gone to that extent in these 
treaties. We are making progress by 
them, and if we ratify them we will 7 
taken a long step forward; and, havin 
taken that step, then we can look about 
to see what step we can take next in 
order to make surer the coming of that 
arbitral court for which this Society is 
founded, and in the prosecution of which 
object I think all good men ought to help. 
Another question is just proposed by 
a gentlemen from a Southern State, 
namely, the danger of submitting to arbi- 
tration the question of the payment of 
certain bonds that have been repudiated. 
Well, the language of the treaty is, “In 
all cases hereafter arising,’ which ex- 
cludes these bonds. Therefore, if any- 
body is sensitive on that subject, he has 
no need to fear this treaty. 
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY 
The Annual Banquet of the National Geo- 
graphic Society will be held on Friday evening, 
January 26, at the New Willard Hotel, Wash- 
ington, D. C. It is expected that it will be 
the most notable in the history of the organi- 
zation. Members desiring to attend can secure 
full information by applying at the office of 
the Society. 
January 5.—Mr. Rustom Rustomjee, a dis- 
tinguished native scholar of India now visiting 
America, will address the National Geographic 
Society on “The Parsees.” The lecture, “A 
Woman’s Climbs in the High Alps,’ by Miss 
Dora Keen, has been postponed to February or 
March. 
January 12, 4.00 p.m.—The Annual Meeting 
of the National Geographic Society will be 
held at Hubbard Memorial Hall. 
A DE LUXE EDITION OF THE 
PALMS SUPPLEMENT 
A limited edition of this beautiful picture, 
reproduced on heavy artist-proof board, size 
10% x24 inches, ready for framing, can be 
secured at 50 cents each, postpaid. Address, 
Department H, Nationat, GrocrapHic Mac- 
AZINE. 
