The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-30
ARBITRATION PROPOSAL
A Part Of The Russian Proposition Has
Been Adopted.
THE AMERICANS OFFERED AN AMENDMENT
Italians Also Suggested n Change.
Disarmament Programme VIII
Not Amount TO Much.

The Hague. May 29.--The drafting COM
mittee, or subcommittee. Of the arbitration
committee, met today and discussed the
Russian scheme, adopting with slight
notifications the first six articles.
Count Nigra, chief OF the Italian dele
gatlon, submitted proposal Of mediation
and arbitration consisting OF six articles,
in the form OF an amendment TO the Rus
sian project.
The Americans also submitted an amend
ment, demanding that in the event OF a
dispute between two nations each should
choose another nation, the two To act to-
gether as arbitrators to settle the differ
ence without boodshed. This must not be
COMPOUNDED with the proposal for per-
manent arbitration tribunal which the
Americans will introduce during the week.
The Italian proposal includes clause
providing that mediation aud arbitration
shall net stop mobilization or preparations
for war. Neither the American nor the
italian amendment has yet been dis
cussed.
Tho naval and military sections OF the
disarmament committee both met today
and exchanged ideas in desultory man
the outcome of this committee Will be prac
tically nil.
The British minister TO The Netherlands,
Henry Howard, gave a grand reception to-
night, at which all the delegates and the
leaders Of Dutch society were present.
London, May Gothic Standard, In an
editorial this morning on the Alaskan
boundary dispute, says: Lord Salisbury
would be justified In refusing to assent
to the American demand that the umpire
in an arbitration of the dispute should be
chosen from among the citizens of an
American State. 1t Is to be hoped that
the conference at The Hague will establish
n permanent arbitration tribunal before
which the United States could not refuse
to plead its cause"
Washington, May 29-The president and
Secretary Hay are gratlfed at the prece-
dence given at The Hague conference to
the subject of arbitration, which is re-
garded as mainly American in conception.
The detailed scheme of arbitration which
is to be proposed by the United States
delegates was carefully wrought out at the
state department before the commissioners
sailed for New York. 1t will be laid be-
fore the conference probably tomorrow.
The details OF the American project can
not be divulged, but 1t can be stated that
IL Ia remarkable at once for it's simplicity
and ccmprehensiveness. 1t differs con-
slderably from what Is known as the
Olney- Pauncefote proposition as set out
in the arbitration treaty which failed or
ratification. 1t provides for permanent
tribunal of arbitration, an impartial arbl-
tration being made more probable thereby
than II arbitrators were chosen in the heat
of controversy.
The news from The Hague that the
British and Russian representatives are
comforting with a view to reconciling the
points of difference bn their two schemes
NJ arbitration gives satisfaction here. for
the reason that 1t promises we'll for an
easy amalgamation of opposing schemes
with the American project, the latter be-
ing very similar in principle to the Brit
ish plan.
The reported decision of the CONFER
ence to admit as n subject for deliberatlon
and action the American proposition to
exempt private property from seizure at
sea Is also gratifying. The assurance that
England which has long held aloof, will
give her support to this american propo-
sition Is believed almost to insure its
adoption and II this should be the case the
state department would regard that one
result as more than repayng the nations
concerned for the cost and trouble Of as
sembling the conference. The American
delegates are having a free hand. Secretary
Hay finding no occasion to add materially
to their, Instructions since they entered
the conference.