Not believing in Utopias, we'are not greatly interested in Peace
Congresses ; but it must be admitted that the Inter- national Peace Conference which has been sitting at Berne has hit upon an unusually reasonable plan for promoting its ideas. It has resolved to organise an International Arbitration Court, with its seat at Berne, to be appointed by such Members of Par- liament in each European State as accept the principle of arbi- tration. The Court will keep each Parliament informed as to
quarrels, and will, we presume, in each instance of dispute state the decision or compromise which it would con- sider just, and defend it through its spokesmen in each Par- liament. By this plan it really might, in the case of any disputes not involving national passion, exercise an influence on public opinion ; and, perhaps, if the Court were very wise and impartial, might attain to a kind of quasi-judicial position akin to that once occupied by the Papacy. The originator of that scheme deserves much credit, for it would really work in proportion to the spread of the ideas of the Peace people, and lead Statesmen to consider the pos- sibility of a Court of Arbitration with advisory powers- More than this cannot be hoped for, as there could be no executive power behind the Court except a Federal European Army ; but it is something to combine a floating mass of opinion into a single focus. The Parliamentary groups must, however, choose as their representative men, judges and not faddists.
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