The San Francisco call., 1899-05-27
RESULTS TO BE LIMITED
ONLY SLIGHT RECOMMENDA.
TIoNS AS TO DISARMAMENT.
All Suggestions and Petitions From
Outsiders Will Be Received and
Then Pigeonholed With
out Consideration.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

THE HAGUE, May 26-It can now be
stated with some degree of confidence
that the delegates to the Peace Con-
ference are gradually arriving at the
belief that its outcome will be very
much what Andrew White, United
States ambassador at Berlin and head
of the American delegation here, fore
casted to the correspondent of the AS
sociated Press in the interview cabled
to the United States last Monday.
So far as armaments are concerned,
the utmost that is expected to be ac-
complished is some slight recommended
tions to the Governments participating.
The various committees have now
settled TO work, and the delegates have
begun a formal exchange of views 1t
was decided to-day to appoint commit
tees TO receive all suggestions, pro-
posals and petitions emanating from
outsiders, but so far as is yet aScer-
tainable these will be pigeonholed with
out consideration, unless they come
within the purview of the questions
enumerated in the circular of Count
Muravieff, the Russian Minister of For
eign Affairs, in outlining the subjects
for consideration.
The disarmament committee met this
morning, and NJ. Bernaert, chief of the
Belgian delegation, who presided, set
forth the points submitted for consid-
Grafton. The two sections Immediately
divided and proceeded to a discussion of
the questions Of firearms and eXplos-
ives which continued until the hour for
adjournment.
The arbitration committee met this
afternoon under the presidency of the
chief Of the French delegation, Leon
Bourgeois, who was thanked by the
honorary presidents of the committee.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, chief of the Brit
ish delegation, and Count Nigra, chief
of the Italian deIegation.
NJ. Bourgeois presented the questions
of mediation and arbitration and sug-
gested a programme the committee
might follow, urging recourse to all
pacific means to settle international
questions before a recourse to war. He
submitted a long list of possible sub
jectS of dispute which might arise be-
tween nations and yet might find solu-
tion in arbitration, closing with the
more difficult problems. He then pre-
sented scheme already introduced to
the full conference by a Russian dele
gate a scheme consisting of forty ar
ticleS.
The statement of NJ Bourgeois was
clear and concise, commanding the
closest attention.
Sir Julian HauuCefote proposed that
the committee should Immediately
proceed before all else. to consider the
question of a permanent tribunal of ar
bitration. He did not, however, sub
init any plan and eventually withdrew
his motion in view of the suggestions
offered by Count Nigra and others, who
urged the wisdom of following the pro-
gramme of the president, in which
the question of a permanent tribunal
follows the general subject of arbitra-
tion.
NJ. Bourgeois observed that the COM
mittee, by not opposing it, gave adhe-
sion to the principle favoring a peace
full solution of international questions
before a recourse to arms.
Recognizing that the committee was
too large to consider the Russian pro-
pOsals, NJ. Bourgeois appointed the fol-
lowing sub committee: CheValier DeS-
camps David, of the Belgian delega-
ton; Professor Asser, priVy councillor
of The Netherlands delegation; Baron
Estournelles de Constant of the French
delegation; Frederick Hollis, secretary
of the United States delegation: NJ.
Lammasch of the Austro- Hungarian
delegation; Professor Martens of the
Russian delegation; NJ. F. Oder of the
Swiss delegation, and DR.. Zorn of the
University of Konigsberg, representing
the German delegation.
Sir Julian PauncefOte and Count
Nigra were appointed honorary presi-
dents OF the subcommittee anu NJ
Bourgeois and NJ. Destal were en-
powered TO attend it's meetings.
This arrangement gives representa-
ton to all the great powers as well as
to Holland, Belgium and Switzerland.
Chevalier Descamps-David was ap-
pointed chairman of the sub-commit-
tee.
Great Importance is attached to the
meetings held to-day and to the unani-
mons accentance of the general prin>
ciDle of arbitration and mediation.