The San Francisco call., 1899-07-16

decorations and bedecked with gold laca
appeared by the dozen, but the moment
the photographer went away the infor-
NAL dress which was worn at the ses-
sions of the conference IS Immediately
resumed. The only decors ions indicating
that great international gathering was
in session at The Hague were the dozen
or so of flags whose gorgeous folds draped
impressively against the old red of the
bricks in the Hotel Vieux-Doelen's front
They were the flags of the delegations
quartered there.
The coming of the delegates from all
parts of the earth on their tremendous
mission attracted no attention whatever
from the lay citizens of this picturesoue
military ridden, gin besotten, beautiful old
town. During all my stay here 1 have
seen practically no manifestation of anv
interest In the presence of the delegates
A company of stupid faced Dutch SOL
Giers, tight trousered and Scotch canned
with a discordant band at its head. never
failed to draw the people of Gravenha-
gen from their homes and their business
places in curious mobs. But during nv
stay at The Hague I have not at one
time seen more than a dozen people gath
cred to watch the delegates or do honor
TO the conference
Whatever happens before the conference
adjourns. whatever results are achieved
by it, whatever failures mark its sessions,
whatever successes are its record, the
United States of America may feel per-
fectly certain that its interests have been
guarded carefully. that its dignity has
been preserved and that it's influence on
this most importnt international move
ment has been felt as strongly if NOT
more strongly than that of any other
nation represented.
While 1 am writing this it looks as -
practical provision for mediation and ar
h f-ar rsr,,, IL,
international law. Hon. Seth Low. whose
influence toward good international CO.,
ernment has been~exerted at The Hapua
with as much earneStnesS as he ever ex
erted toward the PRONUNCIATION of bis
ideas of government in municipa1 S+o+a
or national matters at home. exnressed -
me this opinion. ~
1t must be by the route of mediation
and arbitration that Will recognize ~, -,
Independence of nations THAI the ,.orIs
will progress toward the poets drear1 ~
the parliament of man. In the neanr,btIa
| think the steps likely to be taker, Iii
depend so entirely on the voluntary, o.,
uons OF the nations that no reaction is
to be dreaded. In other words 7 +b;rI - -.
shall give popular opinion a chance 60
lly TO substitute arbitration for war ard
this being done, public opinion must do
the rest uo
With, as the member of IT'S deIesstio-
next most important to Andrew d. White
~ Cnallnlah' man with ideas
q Silnpte ana as sensible os
these: America would need ~ ba1s
no rear of the record She wo,,lS
MAKE al the peace conference even VIII
out the all-seeing and alI-mana gins So
retary Hollis, without the greatest naysI
eeH4hSept e4lS IN the e, world. Captain Alfred =.
Nlr 1daI"n, u,q an4 without the intimate knovyl-
eHge 3I mlllIary affairs possessed hy Can
tam Willard F. Crozier, II is fmpSsSiqhpIs
10 doubt that the businesslike attifmde
ISSsn Sni.il Irein the trst by the American and
brltsn oelegadons had done more than
any other one thing TO save the ,ti,.I nfe-i
ence from practical failure
EDWARD MARSHALL.