Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-26
WAYS TO WAGE WAR
Laws of Battlefield Considered by Committee
at The Hague.
REVISION OF GENEVA CONVENTION POSSIBLE
MOrgnier Scheme for It's Modification May
Be Submitted,
QUESTION OF COMPETENCE is IN DOUBT
Conference May Be Limited to Eight Points
of Original Circular
QUESTION or COMPETENCE IS IN DOUBT
PLAN CONSIDERS TReATM. Mt OF WOUNDED
privileges of Ambulnnccs, Hospital
Attendants, Religious and Neutral
Persons Are Also Embraced
In the scheme.

THE HAGUE, May 25.--Both sections OF
the committee en- the laws OF wal fare of
the peace conference met separately today
ana began the examination of the subjects
submitted TO them. the Red Cross section
discussing paragraph No. 5, and paragraph
No. of the circular of Count Murayieff
Russian minister of foreign affairs and the
I Brussels conference section discussing para
graph No l.
Both sections met subsequently, and dis
cussed the question of competence as re-
gardng the scheme for the revision of the
Geneva convention. known as the Morgnier
scheme.
The Morgnier scheme comprises modifca-
tions of the Geneva convention in connec-
tion with wounded and sick prisoners mem
hers of the military hospital service, con-
voys for the wounded, ambulances hos
pitfalls, property belonging to neutral per-
sons, religious and medical stats and kim
dred subjects. The scheme applies equally
to land and sea warfare.
1t was proposed to submit the scheme to
another committee for revision and the aues-
tion was then raised whether the conference
was competent to deal with the matter.
Those who took a negative view argued
that the conference had decided in prin-
ciple and all the governments represented
mitted to the conference beyond the eight
points in the circular of Count Muraviefr.
They contended that II the conference once
infrnged this rule a precedent would be
created, leading to numerous difficulties, in
cluding probably the springing of the Ar
| menian. Macedonian and similar questions
upon the conference.
Medical Advice Necessary.
1t was also pointed out by the opponents
of the proposal to refer that as the Morg-
nier scheme dealt mostly with the
wounded and hospitals, 1t would be i'm
possible to discuss the proposed modifca-
tions effectively without the cooperation
of doctors. who alone would be capable of
deciding many of the points in issue.
As q matter of fact there is no man OF
medical training among the delegates. The
committee finally adjourned without reach-
ing decision.
There is no truth in the statement that
proposal has been submitted to the con-
ference to abrogate the provisions of the
Declaration of Paris. 1886, regarding the
protection of private property in time of
war
BERLIN, May 25.-The Berliner Neuesten
Nachrchten, in an editorial denying that
Germany is opposing the idea of an arbitra-
tion tribunal at the peace conference, sug
gests that the attitude of Great Britain and
the United States in recent years as shown
by the Venezuelan and Alaskan disputes,
has not ben favorable to arbitration, al
though as the paper says, they are not
posing as its special champions"
Madame Selenka, the famous peace advo-
cate and pr2moter Of the Womans Peace
crusade, today presented to M De Staal,
president of the conference and head of the
Russian delegation, illustrated album
containing the text of resolutions in favor
of peace adopted by meetings representing
several millions Of women. The album was
accompanied by an address, I'm the name
of the women of eighteen nations" salutjng
| the conference, assuring the delegates of the
faith of the memorialists in the results of
its lahore, begging that the hopes of the
people might not be deceived and that the
conference would decide that the evils Of
war could bC cured