The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-06
Ambassador White, Delegate to
the Peace Congress,
Arranges For Another Confer.
ence at The Hague
FOR SPECIAL WORK.
To Act Upon the American Sug-
gestiOn
Of Protecting Private Property
on the Sea.

The Hague. July 6.-The American
delegates have scored a great success in
obtaining from the peace conference a
unanimous verdict to have the Ques-
ton of private property at sea in time
of war dealt with at a special confer
ence to be summoned here after this one
adjourns.
Much diplomatic management was
necessary and many obstacles had been
surmounted before this result was
reached.
Andrew D. White, head of the Ameri-
can delegation, preached the subject.
The question of it's admissability, under
the conference mandate was discussed.
No vote was taken, but an agreement
was arrived at to allow the Americans
to present their case in full. Had vote
been taken Immediately the Americans
would doubtless have carried their point
by a majority of one or two, and to
avoid this a resolution was proposed
recognizing the Importance and com
plexity of the question and recommend
ing the summoning of a special confer
ence. At the afternoon sitting of the
committee the successive clauses Of the
laws of war having been adopted, NJ.
Demertens of the Russian delegation.
moved a resolution to that effect. Mr..
White seconded.
In the course of a clear and eloquent
statement Of the American case, he said
the United States government had &C
cepted the invitation to participate in
the conference with alacrlIy because II
was expected the conference would at
ford an opportunity for preaching the
truth with regard to the immunity from
capture of private property at sea. He
admitted. however. that the United
States government recognized it would
be hopeless to exnect any decisive result
from this conference
Mr. White frankly admitted the diff
ficulties involved in deciding what con-
stituted contra band of war but insisted
that these supplied one Of the best ar
guments for a full and prominent dis
cusSiOn. The suffering and losses which
seizures entaiIed were immense, while
the effect upon the ultimate result of
war was almost nothing.
Referring to the experience Of the
United States in the war of the rebel
lion, he said that only three cOnfeder-
ate cruisers did anything of Importance
but they captured 1853 vessels, quadru-
pied the rate OF insurance between
America and Great Britain and caused
the transfer of half million tons of
American shipping to British bottoms.
The final result was that the whole
American marine was virtually swept
out of existence.
IF that resulted from the operations
of the three poorly equipped little
steamers he said what would hap
pen with the means at the disposal of
the greater nations today? Yet every
one knows that this privateering had
not the slightest effect in ending. or
even shortening the war, nor would it
have had any even if the losses had
been ten times greater. The only real
effect is gained by Warships in main
tanning a blockade. Now days the
transfer of goods by land is so general
that interruption by sea. as a rule does
nothing to promote the ending Of war,
but that interruption may destroy accu-
mutations of human wealth and skill
requiring a generation to make good,
while the losses can not be confined to
beIligerents alone, but must effect more
or less directly, the whole world"
MT-N wa rT10 v
position that the Americans were ami
mated by selfish considerations. They
were eminently practical, he said, but
not less pre-emfnently devoted to great
ideals This he illustrated by referring
to the enormous sacrifice made during
the civil war and the devotion Of Ameri-
cans to arbitration.
But the question he was urging upon
the delegates, he asserted, was one of
right, justice and progress for the whole
world, and this all Americans felt deep
~. Nor could the acceptances of the
American proposal injure any nation.
On the contrary it would strengthen all.
The head of the American delegation
concluded with an eloquent appeal to
the jurists, diplomats and statesmen of
all nations assembled in the conference
to take the subject under careful con-
sideratiOn, declaring, in the words of
Count NeSSelrOde, that the additions
Of this plea to international law would
be a crown Of glory to the worlds
diplomacy"
supported Mr.. White, and suggested
that the governments favoring the idea
should conclude a treaty among them
selves.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, head of the
British delegation. said that British
opinion was divided on the subject, and
that he had no instructions regarding
it, In his personal opinion, the question
was outside the scope Of the confer
ence.
NJ. Bourgeois, head of the French
delegation, and Captain Scheme, of the
Russian delegation, announced that in
the absence Of Instructions they could
not vote.
The resolution was then put and car
ried without opposition, but with reser-
vatiOns on the part of Great Britain,
France and Russia The committee also
adopted a resolution that the question
of determine ton of rights and duties
the programme of the future confer
ence.
The p1enary conference assembled sub
sequently and accepted all the recon-
mendations of the committee.
The American delegation is much
gratified at the result. The delegates
could not anticipate q. practical issue
at this time. The maximum success
possible was a full and free opportuni-
ty of placing the American view on rec
ord and of continuing unbroken the
tradition Of a century of American pro-
test in behalf of progressive ideas in in
ternational law.
This result, which at one time appear
ed impossible. owing to the almost in
superable difficulties,i is now triumphant
~ attained
Humbugs-
Are they who tell you other cough
syrups are just as good as BeggS Cherry