Treaty Series No. 616.]
By the President of the United States of America.
A PROCLAMATION
Whereas a Treaty between the United States of America and Russia looking to the advancement of the cause of general peace, was concluded and signed by their respective Plenipotentiaries at Washington on the first day of October, one thousand nine hundred and fourteen, the original of which Treaty, being in the English and French languages, is word for word as follows:
treaty for the settlement of disputes.
The President of the United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, desiring to strengthen the friendly relations which unite their countries and to serve the cause of general peace, have decided to conclude a Treaty for these purposes and have consequently appointed their Plenipotentiaries designated hereinafter, to wit:
- The President of the United States of America, the Honorable William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State of the United States; and
- His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, His Excellency G. Bakhmeteff, Master of His Court and His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America;
Who, after exhibiting to each other their Full Powers found to be in due and proper form, have agreed upon the following articles:
Article I.
Any differences arising between the Government of the United States of America and the Imperial Government of Russia, of whatever nature they may be, shall, when diplomatic proceedings have failed, be submitted for examination and report to a Permanent International Commission constituted in the manner prescribed in the following article; likewise the High Contracting Parties agree not to resort, with respect to each other, to any acts of force during [Page 1284] the examination to be made by the Commission and before its report is handed in.
Article II.
The International Commission shall be composed of five members appointed as follows: Each Government shall designate two members; the fifth member shall be designated by common consent and shall not belong to any of the nationalities already represented on the Commission; he shall perform the duties of President.
The two Governments shall bear by halves the expenses of the Commission.
The Commission shall be organized within six months from the exchange of ratifications of the present Convention.
The members shall be appointed for one year and their appointment may be renewed. They shall remain in office until superseded or reappointed, or until the work on which they are engaged at the time their office expires is completed.
Any vacancies which may arise shall be filled in the manner followed for the original appointment.
Article III.
In case a difference should arise between the High Contracting Parties which is not settled by diplomatic methods, each Party shall have a right to ask that the examination thereof be intrusted to the International Commission charged with making a report. Notice shall be given to the President of the International Commission, who shall at once communicate with his colleagues.
As regards the procedure which it is to follow, the Commission shall as far as possible be guided by the provisions contained in articles 9 to 36 of Convention I of The Hague of 1907.
The High Contracting Parties agree to afford the Commission, as fully as they may think possible, all means and all necessary facilities for its examination and its report.
The work of the Commission shall be completed within one year from the date on which it has taken jurisdiction of the case, unless the High Contracting Parties should agree to set a different period.
The conclusion of the Commission and the terms of its report shall be adopted by a majority. The report, signed only by the President acting by virtue of his office, shall be transmitted by him to each of the Contracting Parties.
The High Contracting Parties reserve full liberty as to the action to be taken on the report of the Commission.
Article IV.
The present Treaty shall be ratified by the President of the United States of America, with the advice and consent of the Senate of the United States, and by His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias.
It shall go into force immediately after the exchange of ratifications and shall last five years.
If it has not been denounced at least six months before the expiration of this period it shall be tacitly renewed for a period of twelve [Page 1285] months after either party shall have notified the other of its intention to terminate it.
In witness whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Treaty and have affixed thereunto their seals.
Done at Washington this 1 October, / 18 September, 1914.
| [seal.] | William Jennings Bryan |
| [seal.] | G. Bakhméteff |
And whereas, the said Treaty has been duly ratified on both parts, and the ratifications of the two governments were exchanged in the City of Washington on the twenty-second day of March, one thousand nine hundred and fifteen;
Now, therefore, be it known that I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Treaty to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
By the President:
W. J. Bryan
Secretary of State.