The age-herald., 1899-05-27
WHITES FORECAST
 WILL BE CORRECT Belief Of Delegates At tho Peace Con-
 ference. A COMMITTEE APPOINTED To Receive Suggestions, Proposals and
 Petitions. DISARMAMENT WAS CONSIDERED Discussion on the Questions of Fire arms and Explosives Idea of Me- diation and Arbitration En-
 tered Into
DISARMAMENT WAS CONSIDERED

The Hague, May 26.-It can now be stated with some degree of confidence that the del- egates to the peace conference are grad ually arriving at the belief that it's outcome will be very much what Andrew White, United States ambassador at Berlin and 4the head of the American delegation here forecasted 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 it is expected to accomplish is some slight recommendations to the governments par ticipating The various committees have now settled down to work, and the dele gates have begun a formal exchange of views It was decided today to appoint committees to receive all suggestions, pro- posals and petitions emanating from out s'ders; but, so far as is yet aseertainable, these will be pigeon-holed unless they come within the purview of the questions desig- mated in the circular of Count Muravieff, the Russian minister of foreign affairs, in outlining the subjects for consideration.
 The Dis&rmament Committees
 The disarmament committee met this morning, and NJ. Barnaert, chief of the Belgian delegation, who presided, set forth the points submitted for consideration. The two sections immediately dvided, and pro- . ceeded to a discussion of the question of firearms and explosives, which continued until the hour of adjournment.
 The arbitration committee met this even- ing under the presidency of the chief of the French delegation, M. Bourgeois, who was hanked by the honorary presidents of the committee, Sir Julian Pauncefote, chief of the British delegation, and Count Nigra, chief of the Italian delegation. M. Bour- geois presented the questions of mediation and arbitration and suggested a programme the committee might follow, urging re- course to all Pacific means to settle inter- national questions before recourse to war. He submitted a long list of possible sub- jects of dispute which might arise between nations and yet might find solution in ar- filtration, closing with the more difficult problems. He then presented a scheme al- ready introduced to the full conference by a Russian delegate, a scheme consisting of forty articles. The statement of M. Bour- geois was clear and concise, commanding the closest attention.
 Permanent Tribunal
 Sir Julian Pauncefote proposed that the committee should immediately proceed be- fore all else to consider the question of a permanent tribunal of arbitration. He did not, however submit any plan, and event. ually withdrew his motion in view of the suggestions offered by Count Nigra and others, who urged the wisdom of following the programme of the president, in which the question of a permanent tribunal fol- lows the general subject of arbitration
 M. Bourgeois observed that the commit tee by not opposing 1t gave adhesion to the principle favoring peaceful solution of in ternational questions. before recourse to war.
 Recognizing that the committee was too large to consider the Russian proposals, M. Bourgeois appointed the following sub committee: Chevalier Descamps-D David of the Belgian delegation; Professor Asser, privy councillor of the Netherlands dele gatlon Baron Estournelles de Constant, Of the French delegation; Frederick Holls, secretary of the United States delegation; M Lammasch of the Austro- Hungarian delegation; Professor Maartons, of the Russian delegation; M. F. Odler, of the Swiss delegation and Dr. Zorn, of the University of Koenigsberg, representing the German delegation.
 Sir Julian Pauncefote and Count Nigra were appointed honorary presidents of the subcommittee, and M. Bourgeois and NJ. de Istaal were empowered to attend its met tings This arrangement gives repre- sentation to all the great powers as well as to Holland, Belgium and Switzerland.
 Cnevalier Descamps-David was appointed chairman of the subcommittee.
 Great importance is attached to the meetings held today, and to the unanimous tra. ton and mediation.