The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-19
ENJOYS ARE NOW WAITING
POINTS. AT ISSUE HAVE BEEN RE-
FERRED TO THE INTER-
ESTED POWERS
WILLIAM MAY YET BE MOVED
London Correspondent of the Daily
Mail Say the Religious Argument
May Prevail with the Ruler of
Germany-The American Dele
gates Realize That Not Much VIII
BE Accomplished at the Hague.

BE Accomplished at the Hague.
BERLIN, June 1S.-The kolnische Eel
tung today announces 1.-The complete fail
ure'' of the disarmament conference at
The Hague. Several provisions, 1t as
serts, have been adopted in the committee
by equal vote; but all of these, 1t predicts,
will fail in the plenary sitting.
The negotiations, it is understood here,
have come to a virtual deadlock, and
the situation has been referred to the
governments themselves for elucidation.
The members of the conference will
spend the time for a few days waiting
until instructions are received from head
quarters, which will settle the question
whether the attempt to make war more
difficult will be abandoned, or whether
some small practical benefit will be
gained.
1t cannot be said that the outlook is
hopeful Those who Sanguinely believed
that the millennium would date from May
Is, 1899, have been encouraged by the an
nouncement that one or another subcom-
mittee had agreed by a majority to some
proposal designed to mitigate the horrors
Of war. 1t was a false encouragement.
No measure which fails to comand prac-
tically the unanimous support of the
peace congress has any chance of adop-
ton or gaining force in international law.
In other words, any single great power
possesses the function of a decisive veto
against any measure which may be pro-
posed.
AS a matter of fact every single pro-
posal of any Importance which has come
before the committees in conference has
encountered this fatal opposition. 1t is
even probable that certain humane meas
ures, which every civilized country is will
ing to adopt in the form of instructions to
army and navy comanders, will be re-
jected when it comes to question of in
cooperating them in international law.
INVOLVE NEUTRALS.
The reason is that as laws they in
Volve the Intervention of neutrals, and
there is strong opposition among the dele
gates against adding to the power Of
neutrals, who might become belligerents,
by citing the violation of International
law. real or reported, as Justification of
their interference.
This ground of opposition is given
against even the humane code for the
protection aud care of wounded at sea,
which was drawn up by the Geneva COM
mittee. The same reason mas been cited
in the discussions of the Brussels com
Inittee.
The American delegates fully realize
that there is no chance of the adoption
of their proposal for neutralizing private
property at sea. There are many special
reasons urged against the measure, but
the only general one is that 1t seriously
weakens the strongest deterrent from
war, namely the loss and Inconvenience
sustained by combatants.
The one important question upon which
all attention is centered is the fate of the
proposed permanent arbitration tribunal.
There is other opposition besides that of
Germany to this scheme, but it is unim-
portant Russia, for instance, Is opposed
to the constitution of the central bureau
provided for in Sir Julian Pauncefotes
scheme. Therefore the British plan has
been modified
The German delegates have been sent
fresh instructions, which have not been
made public, but there is no reason to
believe that they will tend toward har-
monizing the situation. In fact, 1t is
well known among the delegates that the
German government regards the confer
ence a complete failure and that any
agreement is impossible.
The delegates are enjoying a respite
from their labors, pending final instruc-
tions from the home authorities The
feeling prevails quite generally among the
delegates that the conference will dissolve
before the end of the month
TO CONCILIATE KAISER.
In consequence of German opposition
to organized obligatory arbitration a new
scheme of conciliating Germany has been
proposed, and an agreement seems to
have been already reached. The propos-
al, which is largely the work of the Amer
lean delegates, consists of the creation
of bureau with limited staff, to be
established at The Hague, under the
authority of the ordinary representatives
of the powers.
In the event of a conflict the bureau
would, at the request of the belligerents,
convene an arbitration court to adjudi-
cate the matters in dispute Thus there
would not be any permanent tribunal,
and the procedure followed in establishing
the court would be decided as the occasion
arose Arbitration, moreover, would be
optional In every case
United States Ambassador White. the
head of the American delegation has had
frequent conferences with Count Mum
ster, of Germany, and the scheme has
been accepted by the German delegates.
DIR. Zorn and Baron Won Stengel, Of the
German delegation, will lay the proposal
before the kaiser.
The work of the conference has been
suspended pending the kaiser's decision
If this should be favorable 1t is believed
that the powers will accept the scheme,
If they have not already accepted it. as
basis of discussion, and further details
will be arranged