New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-23
PEACE DELEGATES AGREE.
PRESIDENTS OF COMMITTEES CHOSEN
AFTER LONG CONFERENCE.
SELECTION TO BE ACTED ON TO-DAY-MR.
WHITES OPTIMISTIC vIEws-OTHER
AMBASSADORS EXPRESS sIMI-
LAR IDEAS

The Hague, May 22-After an active exchange
OF views In the last twenty-four hours, the
chiefs Of the various delegations arrived this
evening at agreement regarding the selection
Of the presidents Of the various committees.
This agreement will be communicated to the
delegates. who have been summoned to meet In
plenary session In the Huis Ten Bosch at noon
tomorrow for the purpose Of formally con-
irming the agreement.
The meeting OF the disarmament committee
has been postponed to o'clock tomorrow after
noon The Committee on the Laws Of Warfare
meets on Tuesday afternoon and the Committee
on Arbitration meets on Wednesday. The first
session of each committee will be devoted to the
election OF officers.
FALSE REPORTS CIRCULATED.
Many false and exaggerated reports have
been circulated regarding difficulties in agree
ment For instance, It has been said that Count
Won Minister the German Ambassador at Paris
and head Of the German delegation. would
withdraw from the conference. Such stories
must be received with caution, as persons hos
tile to the aims OF the conference have been
bLsny engaged in spreading dstrust. The story
about Count Won Minister probably arose from
the fact that his name does not appear as a
member OF any Of the committees, while all the
other chiefs OF delegations have Joined one or
more committees II is pointed out that dele
gates although not members Of a committee,
are privileged to attend it's sessions and to take
part In the discussions
Andrew D. White the United States Ambas-
sador at Berlin and head OF the American dele
CATION In an interview here said he regarded
the situation promising, and that the first
work Of organiza ton was we'll done. He added:
II am full OF hope that II will be possible to
reach practical conclusions. The scepticism or
the first few days must yield to serious hopes
without at the same time indulging in exag-
gerated expectations
THE words of Emperor william have con-
tributed to improve the situation. I think we
may arrive at some result on the subject OF
mediation and arbitration. Although 1t is un-
doubtedly impossible to make such action OBJ
ligatory, II can be rendered at least optional,
and I believe that after the conference the
Powers will recognize that they have at their
disposal a means Of regulating their differences
otherwise than by war. That will be an i'm
mense advance.
CHANGES IN LAWS OF WARFARE.
Il am also confident that important improve
ments are achievable in the laws and usages Of
war to humanize war. especially in extending
to naval battles the Geneva Convention Of 1864
and Increasing the protection Of private prop
erty In naval wars.
Relative to the reduction OF armaments, am
not in position to speak on the subject
4 Other Ambassadors who are delegates to the
Conference were also seen, ard expressed shh-
lar views. They said they were most hopeful
that the deliberations OF the Conference would
result in the adoption Of practical recommenda-
tions tending toward peace and rendering war
more humane. All were dominated by sense or
immense responsibility to achieve something.
especially in the direction of arbitration. The
delegates were unanimously OF the opinion that
the question Of the reduction Of armaments
would be the most difficult to meet, and they be-
lieved that II would be relegated to the rear OF
the other two features, especially since the
special object of the Conference is now acknowl-
edged to be an endeavor to establish means for
the solving OF international difficulties without
recourse to war. thus increasing the rarity OF
wars. and. rs natural consequence leadihs
10 the reduction of armaments. They seemed
convinced however that numerous dificulties
Of detail would arise in the various commit
tees and that the Conference would be pro-
tracted.