The making of general arrangements for the arbitration of cases that might arise in the future was now advocated.

The first important proposal of this character was made to the United States by Great Britain at the time of the Venezuela affair.
This proposal was rejected, for it was regarded as a device of Great Britain to cover her retreat in that particular case by suggesting a general provision.

The next suggestion was that made by the Czar, in 1899, for a peace conference at The Hague.

This invitation the United States accepted with hearty good will and she concurred in the establishment of a permanent court of arbitration to meet in that city.
Andrew Carnegie built a home for it, and President Roosevelt sent to it as its first case that of the "Pious Fund," concerning which the United States had long been in dispute with Mexico.
The establishment of a world court promoted the formation of treaties between nations by which they agreed to submit their differences to The Hague or to similar courts especially formed.

A model, or as it was called a "mondial" treaty was drawn up by the conference for this purpose.