The times., 1899-05-19
FRIDAY. MAY 10. 1899.
The Conference mt The Hague.

The Peace Conference at The Hague car
only be regarded as chimerical. There ii
much talk about THE Parliament OF Man
and the Federation of the World" and
everybody hopes that the conference will
be a success in promoting the welfare, not
of one, but of all nations in general.
The fact is, however, that the outlook
for such happy outcome is dismal, tempo
rarily. at all events Germany, of all the
nations. is the only one that manifests a
spirit of candor and sincerity. That coun-
try through her ablest spokesmen, has
virtually taken the ground that the talk
of international disarmament is so much
"bosh,r and that IL is idle to forecast the
arrival of the millennium.
The condition of affairs throughout the
world is in maintenance of Germany's at
titude. All the great nations, while preach
ing the doctrine of peace. are increasing
their army and navy budgets. France and
Germany. in particular. are doing so. Rus
sia, whose Gar proposed the Conference
has been purloining territory in China as
fast as she could lay her hands upon it
SO has England for that matter, and Ger
many, and even Italy has claimed recogni-
tion. The talk about spheres of infu-
ence" would lead one TO suppose that China
was grab-bag, prize steak, so 10 speak
Of which all the dominant nations were
endeayorin9 TO obtain slice.
England IS at peace with the United
States because she has excellent reasons
TO be in an amiable mood concerning us
Experience long ago taught her lesson. 50
far as concerns the quality of American
valor. But il is at the same time notice
able that her subjects are still making
raids in the Transyaal: that she is ad-
yancing her territorial lines in Egypt, and
even though not blowing Sepoys from the
mouths of guns in India, is not relinquish-
ing particle OF her discipline in the
Orient
We presume the time will come some
day-perhaps far away-when men will
sit down TO a genuine and sincere recog-
milton OF the fact that there is really nc
occasion TO slaughter one another on ac.
count Of national or international differ
ences. But il Will be process of slow
development. Already the suggestion /.
made that The Hague Conference, aftei
debating the several propositions before il
can do nothing better than adjourn foi
year. so as to permit the home authori-
ties Of the various governments represent.
ed to r-refiect-meditate, and even.
tually reach a conclusion.
II is said that q tentative moral alli.
ance" between Russia, England, France
and the United States is in process of for
nation to control the Conference in op-
position TO the aggressive sentiment OF
other powers, led BY Germany. But whai
do moral alliances" amount to? Nations
no more than individuals, viii, as a rule
preserve or maintain the integrity of {
contract any longer than ii suits their pur.
poses to do SO.
Even should the Conference be aefailure
however, in the sense of actual results, il
Will not have been held in vain if II lead
TO analysis Of the reasons which made it q
failure. Next year-fiye or ten years
henee-the world will have progre ssed
In the mean time II will do no harm to talk
Of disarmament and the humanizing OF
war War is hell" and hell on earth
cannot be humanized so long as there is a
tendency TO use poisoned bullets, as our
Spanish friends did.
Back of the movement is the idea that
nations are unwilling 10 abnegate their
sovereignty any more than one OF our own
States would consent TO diminution of its
authority ss a factor in the nation. What
is meant by disarmament" anyhow? Ii
it intended to convey the notion that the
powers will propo.tionately strip them
selves Of their army and naval equipments.
If so, what would be the gain so far as
their relative standing is concerned? Such
a course would, Of course, be a strong
blow at the spirit Of militarism which is
dominant on the Continent, especially IN
Germany. II would TO some extent put 1
stop to the outcry against excessive taxa.
tion, and might result in decrease of tn,
emigration figures.
II will not be wise on the part OF tn,
American delegates to become involved IL
purely European controversies. We ar
expanding our domain-haye had to ex
pand II by reason of consequences unfore
seen at the beginning of the Spanish war
but we have not yet assumed the role o
adviser In chief to our friends on the othe
side of the Atlantic. Presumably the.
know their own business. and IL the Ameri
can delegates condne themselves 70 dis