The San Francisco call., 1899-07-16

be the most formal Of all bodies in its
procedure, but the choice of NJ. de Stael,
the head of the Russian delegation as
president made this possible. De Stael
is a weazened little old man with ten
dency toward doddering on his legs. But
despite his age he has no tendency toward
senility in his mind. He exhibited, how
ever some unique and eccentric ideas Of
the duties of a presiding officer. He opened
the sessions by striking his desk gentle
rap with the gavel. There was no prayer,
there were no opening exercises whatever
except this wooden mallets blow. Then
he sat down and left the delegates to
their own devices. There was no getting
the floor" there were no parliamentary
practices at all. The delegates simply
talked in French, with an occasional lapse
into their native tongues. At times, un-
der this system, the conference became
q perfect Babel.
None of the sessions were lengthy, and
the way in which they were terminated
was quite as unique as the manner in
which they were opened. NJ. de Stael
would quietly slip out of his chair and
go away Sometimes this merely meant
that he wished to speak to delegate on
the floor or visit a committee room. But
if It CHANGED that he thought that the
delegates had talked enough he did not
return OF course, 1t was impossible for
the delegates to know if his absence was
to be brief or permanent without waiting
for him to come back. If, after waiting
for him a 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 procedure of the Peace Confer
ence from the beginning.
There was as little ceremony about the
way in which the delegates were treated
by the Dutch Government as there was
about the way in which they conducted
their deliberations. One or two official
receptions and dinners at which Hollands
charming little Queen played her part
pleasautly, as she ever does, constituted
all the official entertaining There were
few exchanges of social visits between the
delegates.
The quarters of the American delega-
ton at the Hotel Vieux-Doelen were ele-
CANT and commodious. 1t is one of the
most extraordinary structures in Europe
and dates back TO about 14T0. 1t is at the
same time however, much better man
aged and equipped than most European
hotels In view of the coming of the
American delegation its owner bought a
large adjoining residence. which he
turned over entirely TO our representa-
tives, 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 florid gold
and red which is likely to prevail wher-
ever a Dutchman thinks elegance is nee
essary. For some reason Seth Low did
not take advantage of these fine quar-
ters, but went alone to the Hotel Belle
Bue, where Mrs. Low Joined him shortly
after the session of the conference be-
gan.
The complete apathy of the Dutch pub