The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-16

under this system. the conference became
perfect Babel.
None of the sessions We're lengthy. and
the way in which they We're terminated
was quite as unique as the manner in
Wmch they We're opened M de Staei
would quietly slip out of his chair and 60
away. Sometimes this merely meant that
ne wished TO speak to a delegate on the
moor or visit committee room. But if
1t CHANGED that he thought that the dele
gates had talked enough, he did not re-
turn. OF course it was impossible for the
delegates TO know If his absence was TO
be brief or permanent without waiting for
him to come back. IT, after WAITING for
him reasonable time De Stael did not
reappear, the delegates went home
Votes were taken in the simplest man
ner possible A motion having been read,
De Stael asked the delegates if they liked
it, Some of them said yes, some of them
said no. De Stael gave a fairly close
guess as to the number on each side and
the fate of the motion was decided. Such
was the procedue of the peace conference
from the beginning
There was as little of ceremony about
the way in which the delegates were treat
ed by the Dutch government as there was
about the way in which they conducted
their deliberations. One or two official re-
ceptiouS and dinners at which Hollands
charming little Queen played her part
pleasantly, as she ever does constituted
all the official entertaining. There were
few exchanges of social visits between the
delegates.
The quarters of the American delegation
at the Hotel Vieux-Doelen were elegant
and commodious. 1t is one of the most
extraordinary structures in Europe and
dates back TO about l470. Ii is at the
same time, however, much better managed
and equipped than most European hotels
u Of "a inc If a oil
egation its owner bought a large adjoin-
ing residence which he turned over entire
ly to our representatives, giving them
their own entrance and at the same time
connecting them by means of new doors
and new corridors with the body of the
hotel proper. The rooms were furnished
in the ford gold and red which is likely to
prevail wherever a Dutchman thinks ele-
gance is necessary. For some reason Seth
Low did not take advantage of these fine
quarters, but went alone 10 the Hotel Belle
Vue, where Mrs. Low Joined him shortly
after the sessions of the conference began.
The complete apathy of the Dutch pub
lie concerning the doings and personality
Of the peace delegates was quite as sur
prsing as their own lack of ceremony in
conducting the conference. Only one del
egate went habitually TO the sessions of
the conference in uniform, and he. strange
ly enough, was Capt. Crozier, the Amerf-
not certain, that some regulation of the
service made it necessary for him to wear
the sober and impressive uniform of the
United States army at the sessions of the
conference. The Car sent special pho
tographer to The Hague for the purpose
of making pictures Of the delegates for q
great album to be kept in the winter pal
ace at st. Petersburg. When this pho
tographer was at work the foreign dele.
gates made bright spots of color in the
court yard of the Vieux-Doelen. Charac-
terstic uniforms covered h~decorations
and bedecked with gold lace appeared by
the dozen, but the moment the photo
grapher went away the informal dress
which was worn at the sessions Of the
conference was Immediately resumed. The
only decorations indicating that a 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 ali
parts of the earth on their tremendous
mission attracted no attention whatever
from the lay citizens Of this picturesque
military ridden, gin besotten, beautiful old
town. During all my stay here I have seen
practically no manifestation of any in
terest in the presence Of the delegates A
company of stupld-faced Dutch so.diers
tight-trousered and Scotch-capped. with
dscordant band al its head never failed
to draw the people Of Gravenhagen from
their homes and their business places IN
curious mobs. But during my stay az
The Hague I have not at one time seen
more than dozen people gathered 90
watch the delegates or do honor to the
conference.
Whatever happens before the con-
ference adjourns; whatever results are
achieved by It; whatever failures mark its
sessions whatever successes are its rec.
ord the United States Of America may
feel perfectly certain that its interests
have been guarded carefully, and that its
dignity has been preserved, and that its