Treaty Series No. 608.]
By the President of the United States of America.
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas a Treaty between the United States of America and Denmark looking to the advancement of the cause of general peace was concluded and signed by their respective Plenipotentiaries at Washington, on the seventeenth day of April, one thousand nine hundred and fourteen, the original of which Treaty, being in the English and Danish languages, is word for word as follows:
The United States of America and His Majesty the King of Denmark being desirous to strengthen the bonds of amity that bind them together and also to advance the cause of general peace, have resolved to enter into a treaty for that purpose and to that end have appointed as their plenipotentiaries:
- The President of the United States: The Honorable William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State; and
- His Majesty the King of Denmark: Mr. Constantin Brun, His Chamberlain and Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States;
Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in proper form, have agreed upon the following articles:
Article I.
The High Contracting Parties agree that all disputes between them, of every nature whatsoever, which diplomacy shall fail to adjust, shall be submitted for investigation and report to an International Commission, to be constituted in the manner prescribed in the next succeeding article; and they agree not to declare war or begin hostilities during such investigation and report.
Article II.
The International Commission shall be composed of five members, to be appointed as follows: One member shall be chosen from each country, by the Government thereof; one member shall be chosen by each Government from some third country; the fifth member shall be chosen by common agreement between the two Governments. It is understood that the fifth member of the Commission shall not [Page 277] be a citizen of either country. The expenses of the Commission shall be paid by the two Governments in equal proportion.
The International Commission shall be appointed within four months after the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty; and vacancies shall be filled according to the manner of the original appointment.
Unless otherwise agreed between the parties the procedure of the International Commission shall be regulated by the prescriptions contained in the Convention signed at The Hague on October 18, 1907, for the peaceful settlement of international disputes, Chapter III.
Article III.
In case the High Contracting Parties shall have failed to adjust a dispute by diplomatic methods, they shall at once refer it to the International Commission for investigation and report. The International Commission may, however, act upon its own initiative, and in such case it shall notify both Governments and request their cooperation in the investigation.
The High Contracting Parties agree to furnish the Permanent International Commission with all the means and facilities required for its investigation and report.
The report of the International Commission shall be completed within one year after the date on which it shall declare its investigation to have begun, unless the High Contracting Parties shall extend the time by mutual agreement. The report shall be prepared in triplicate; one copy shall be presented to each Government, and the third retained by the Commission for its files.
Article IV.
The High Contracting Parties agree that, upon the receipt of the report of the International Commission as provided in Article III, they will immediately endeavor to adjust the dispute directly between them upon the basis of the Commission’s findings. The High Contracting Parties, however, reserve the right to act independently on the subject matter of the dispute after the report of the Commission shall have been submitted.
Article V.
The present treaty shall be ratified by the President of the United States of America, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by His Majesty the King of Denmark.
The ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington as soon as possible. It shall take effect immediately after the exchange of ratifications, and shall continue in force for a period of five years; and it shall thereafter remain in force until twelve months after one of the High Contracting Parties shall have given notice to the other of an intention to terminate it.
In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the present treaty and have affixed thereunto their seals.
[Page 278]Done in duplicate in the English and Danish languages at Washington this 17th day of April, in the year 1914.
William Jennings Bryan [seal.]
C. Brun [seal.]
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 nineteenth day of January, 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.