The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-06-01
CAN Be No DISARMAMENT
PEACE CONFERENCE FAILS TO
INDORSE GAR.
The Impossible is Given Up and Each
Country Must Decide Extent of Ar
mament for Itself

NEW YORK. May GA cable to the
Sun from The Hague says The speech
of NJ. de Staal. president of the peace
conference, ON Saturday, has been
made public. In part it is as follows:
TO seek the best means of securing
the benefits of peace to all nations is,
according TO the circular of August
18th, the principal object of our deli
berations. The name of peace confer
ence. which by instinct was given in
advance of the decision of the govern
ments to our assembly indicates in the
best way the essential aim of our
work. Therefore. the conference can
not fail to fulfill the task assigned to
it and to secure tangible results for
humanity. The nations have need of
peace, and we owe it to humanity and
the governments which have given us
their confidence to protect their inter-
ests. and it is due to ourselves to ac-
complish a useful work in settling up
on some means of insuring peace.
Among these means are arbitra-
ton and mediation. These have been
practiced for a long time by diploma
cN. But they have not been precisely
established and their employment in
cases in which they should be applied
has not been defined. 1t is our duty
to do this. sustained by the conviction
that we labor for the welfare of hui
manity and for the end which was
pointed out by preceding generations,
but as we are firmly resolved not to
approach Utopia and as we recognize
that our present task however grand,
has its limits. we must also occupy
ourselves with another phase of the
situation. Inasmuch as it is not yet
possible to render armed conflicts be-
tween nations impossible, we must
minimize the horrors of such con-
hicts. The governments of civilized
states have already taken great steps
in that direction. but we want to go
further. and the most competent men
for the solution of these questions are
here.
Resides other matters of high inn
portance which also enter into the
idea of maintenance of peace, and
which the Russian Government thinks
might be included in our deliberations
there are reasons to ask IL the vel
fare of nations does not demand the
limitations of progressive armament.
But it is for the Governments to de-
eide i'm the interest of their respective
countries what action to take in this
direction.
1--WE are sure that we are going to
examine these questions in an earnest
spirit of sincere Cancellation, and so
90 in the ways which lead to the con-
summation of peace. Thus we will do
a useful work, for which future gene
rations will be grateful to the sover-
eigns and the chiefs of state represent
ted in this hall"
The only word of comment needed
on the speech is to point out the sig
nificant language regarding the limita-
ton of ornaments, which is practical
" definite declaration that this ques-
ton must be left to each country to
decide for itself. 1t is reported among
the delegates that the Car himself
wrote De Stalls speech.
NEW YORK, May PA Sun cable
from The Hague says: The American
delegates to the Peace Conference have
decided, in obedience to their instruc-
tons and despite the rebuff from Rus
STA, to persist in introducing pro-
posal to neutraliZe property at sea
when such property is not contraband
of war.
THE HAGUE, May 24.-Queen Will
helmina received NJ. de Staal, presi-
dent of the Peace Conference, at 4:45
p. m. today. and the latter presented
her with the Russian order of st.
Catherine. The reception of the chief
delegates to the conference commence
ed at o'clock. The Queen and the
Queens mother each held court, and
the delegates We're presented to each
of their majesties alphabetically. The
reception lasted forty minutes. All
the delegates were in court dress, with
the exception of Andrew d. White,
head of the American delegation, and
NJ. Bourgeois, head of the French dele
CATION, who wore evening dress.