So an explanatory note filed by the Russian Minister as to the interpretation placed by his government on the treaty of 1824 between the United States and Russia was at a later period used by the United States, who had succeeded Russia in all her rights to Alaska, in support of her contention in the Bering Sea controversy with Great Britain. (Crandall, p. 382.)

One of the most striking instances of the use of these contemporary memoranda is given by Crandall in the case of the treaty between the United States and Great Britain of April 19, 1850, where, after the adoption by the United States Senate of the resolution advising ratification, memoranda were filed by the negotiators in which it was stated that the language of Article 1-that neither party would ever "occupy, or fortify, or colonize, or assume or exercise any dominion over Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito Coast, or any part of Central America"-was not understood by the contracting states, nor by themselves, to include the British settlement at Honduras and adjacent islands.

Although the declaration of the American negotiator was given with the approval of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, who professed to speak as to the understanding of the Senate-an assumption denied and much criticized later by different members-it formed no part of the treaty, not having been mutually agreed to by the treaty-making authorities of the two states. A main purpose of the treaty had been to do away with British pretensions in Central America, not to confirm them, and any exception to this general purpose and to the wording of the treaty should have been expressly stated. Whether Belize was or was not excepted from the operation of the treaty depended solely upon the geographical fact of its location without or within the boundaries of Central America as then known. But if this fact was not clearly ascertainable the memoranda, as expressions of those intimately connected with the formation of the article, could not be overlooked. (Crandall, p. 381.)

At the conclusion of the convention at the First International Peace Conference, held at The Hague on July 29, 1899 (2 Malloy, 2016-2032), the plenipotentiaries of the United States signed the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes under reservation of the following declaration:

Nothing contained in this convention shall be so construed as to require the United States of America to depart from its traditional policy of not intruding upon, interfering with, or entangling itself in the political questions of

policy or internal administration of any foreign state; nor shall anything contained in the said convention be construed to imply a relinquishment by the United States of America of its traditional attitude toward purely American questions.

It appears that the American delegates first declared this reservation on July 25, 1899, which was repeated when their signatures were placed on the convention as stated above. This action was reported to the President by the Secretary of State on December 19, 1899, when the conventions were forwarded without comment or recommendation to the President for submission to the Senate. This convention was duly ratified by the Government of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, on February 5, 1900, the resolution being incorporated in the act of ratification deposited at The Hague, but there is no record of any comment from other Powers, although, of course, the other Powers ratified the treaty or accepted it with the reservations placed upon it. The Senate resolution of ratification, however, did not include a declaration of the reservation above referred to, which was enunciated by the plenipotentiaries at the time of signing the convention and by the President in his proclamation dated November 1, 1901.

The reservation incorporated in the resolution of ratification by the Senate of the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes concluded in the Second International Peace Conference held at The Hague in 1907 is identical with the reservation to the convention declared by the United States delegates at the First International Peace Conference signed on July 29, 1899.

Again, in ratifying the convention and protocol signed April 2, 1906, after the Algeciras Conference, which regulated in the interest of the Powers commercial intercourse with northern Africa, the Senate resolved:

That the Senate, as a part of this act of ratification, understands that the participation of the United States in the Algeciras Conference and in the formation and adoption of the General Act and Protocol which resulted therefrom was with the sole purpose of preserving and increasing its commerce in Morocco, the preservation of the life, liberty, or property of its citizens residing or traveling therein, and of aiding by its friendly offices and efforts in removing friction and controversy which seem to menace the peace between the Powers signatory with the United States to the treaty of 1880 and without purpose to depart from the traditional American foreign policy which forbids participation by the

United States in the settlement of political questions which are entirely European in their scope.

In February, 1913, the Senate ratified the International Sanitary Convention signed at Paris, January 17, 1913, modifying the International Sanitary Convention of December 3, 1903, with the proviso:

That the Senate advise and consent to the ratification of said convention with the understanding, to be expressed as a part of the instrument of ratification, that nothing contained in Article 9 thereof shall be deemed to prevent the United States from carrying out any special quarantine measures against the infection of its ports which might be demanded by unusual sanitary conditions.

It does not appear that the treaty was referred back to the other Powers for approval of this proviso, nor that such action was required, as there appears to be nothing in the ninth article which would prevent the United States from carrying out such special quarantine measures in the case referred to.

On the other hand, the Senate, in ratifying the proposed arbitration convention negotiated by Secretary Knox under date of August 3, 1911, adopted as a part of the resolution of ratification a proviso

That the Senate advise and consent to the ratification of said treaty, with the understanding, to be made part of such ratification, that the treaty does not authorize the submission to arbitration of any question which affects the admission of aliens into the United States or the admission of aliens to the educational institutions of the several States, or the territorial integrity of the several States or of the United States, or concerning the question of the alleged indebtedness or moneyed obligations of any State of the United States, or any question which depends upon or involves the maintenance of the traditional attitude of the United States concerning American questions commonly described as the Monroe Doctrine, or other purely government policy.

President Taft, considering this proviso to be at variance with the provisions of the treaty and as constituting in effect an amendment to it, withdrew the treaty from further consideration, and no further action was taken upon it.

It would seem, therefore, perfectly clear that a resolution of the Senate interpreting the treaty and clearly reserving American rights can be made without destroying the binding effect of the ratification.

CHRONICLE OF INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

WITH REFERENCES

Abbreviations: Ann. sc. pol., Annales des sciences politiques, Paris; Arch. dipl., Archives Diplomatiques, Paris; B., boletin, bulletin, bolletino; P. A. U., bulletin of the Pan-American Union, Washington; Cd., Great Britain, Parliamentary Papers; Clunet, J. de Dr. Int. Privé, Paris; Current History-Current History-A Monthly Magazine of the New York Times; Doc. dipl., France, Documents diplomatiques; B. Rel. Ext., Boletin de Relaciones Exteriores; Dr., droit, diritto, derecho; D. O., Diario Oficial; For. rel., Foreign Relations of the United States; Ga., gazette, gaceta, gazzetta; Int., international, internacional, internazionale; J., journal; J. O., Journal Officiel, Paris; L., Law; M., Magazine; Mém. dipl., Mémorial diplomatique, Paris; Monit., Belgium, Moniteur belge; Martens, Nouveau recueil général de traités, Leipzig; Official Bulletin, Official Bulletin of the United States; Q., Quarterly; Q. dip., Questions diplomatiques et coloniales; R., review, revista, revue, rivista; Reichs G., Reichs-Gesetzblatt, Berlin; Staats, Staatsblad, Netherlands; State Papers, British and Foreign State Papers, London; Stat. at L., United States Statutes at Large; Times, The Times (London).

January, 1919.

30 RUSSIA. All Russian government under Admiral Kolchak announced ministry. Personnel: Current History, 10 (Pt. 1):485.

February, 1919.

8 PANAMA-UNITED STATES. Commercial Travelers Convention signed. Congressional Record, June 4, 1919; P. A. U., 49: 99. March, 1919.

1 KOREA. Declaration of independence made. A constitution was proclaimed on April 27th. Texts: Current History, 10 (Pt. · 2):132.

7 PHILIPPINES. Philippine legislature passed a Declaration of purposes. Text: Current History, 10 (Pt. 2): 129.

15 AUSTRIA. Personnel of cabinet announced with Dr. Karl Renner as Chancellor. Current History, 10 (Pt. 1):470.

28 CHILE GREAT BRITAIN. A referendum treaty signed for establishment of a peace commission. Summary of text: P. A. U., 48:716.

April, 1919.

1 ITALY. Announced that Italy had raised Adriatic blockade. London Times, April 1, 1919.

1 BLOCKADE. Announced blockade would be raised as regards Poland, Esthonia, German-Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, CzechoSlovakia and new territories of Roumania and Serbia. London Times, April 1, 1919; London Gazette, April 4, 1919.

4 LITHUANIA. Republic formally declared and A. Smatma elected president. Current History, 10 (Pt. 2): 494.

8 FRANCE-SWITZERLAND. New economic convention with France ratified by Swiss Federal Council. London Times, April 11, 1919; Le Temps, April 10, 1919.

9 SPAIN GREAT BRITAIN. Announced that a new commercial arrangement is about to be signed. London Times, April 9, 1919. 11 PEACE CONFERENCE. International labor program presented. Text: Current History, 10 (Pt. 1): 516.

11 CROATIA.

Asks independence and protests against union with Serbia. Washington Post, April 11, 1919.

15 POLAND. Hugh Gibson appointed American minister to Poland. New York Times, April 16, 1919.

17 CZECHO-SLOVAKIA. Richard Crane appointed American Minister to Czecho-Slovakia. New York Times, April 17, 1919.

17 SWITZERLAND GERMANY. Swiss Federal Council announces that the German Government will be recognized. London Times, April 19, 1919.

ALBANIA. Albania asked Peace Conference for full independence.
New York Herald, April 17, 1919.

18 GREECE JUGOSLAVIA. Announced that treaty of alliance had been concluded. Current History, 10 (Pt. 1): 428.

19 GERMANY-JAPAN. Publication of text of alleged treaty. New York Times, April 19, 1919.

20 CZECHO-SLOVAKIA-POLAND. Reported a secret treaty has been signed. New York Herald, April 20, 1919.