The Portland daily press., 1899-06-06
Provides for Voluntary and Friend y
Mediation.
Act Not to be Regarded
as Unfriendly.
Provisions for Choosing Umpire
by Both Parties.

The Hague, June 5.-The arbitration
committee OF the peacs conference held q
meeting today under tbs craftsmanship
of H.. Leon bourgeois. Mr.. Andrew ID.
White. head OF tho American delegation,
Sin. Julian Pauncefote, head Of the Brit
ish delegation and NJ. De Staal, head of
the Russian delsga tion, with all the
members Of the committee were present.
After II. Bourgeois had made . sympa-
thetio reference to the death of Miss
Roth, daughter of DR.. Roth, head Of the
Swiss delegation, who was killed In a
railway accident last Thursday at Flush
ing, the secretary OF the drafting !. COM
mittees read the draft scheme OF media
tion. Articles one and two are, declara-
tory, to the effect that the signatoSy pow
srs, An order to prevent a recourse to force
have agreed to effsot pacific solutions Of
differences and win, exoeptsin exception
al circumstance before an appeal to force
have recourse 10 the mediation Of one or
more friendly powers.
Article three--Independent Of a re.
course to such amioable means, the sigma
tories deem IL expedient that one or more
powers not concerned in the conflict
should offer, cn its or their own Initiative
and, 90 far as circumstances will permit,
its or their good offices Of mediation to
the states at variance. The right to
offer good Offices of mediation belongs 10
powers not concerned In the conflict, even
during the course OF actual hostilities :
and the exercise of this right can never
be considered by the parties at variance
as unfriendiy act.
Article four provides that the role Of
mediator shall consist In the reconcilia-
| tion of conflicting claims. and the allay-
| ing OF bitterness between state at vari-
uno1. 4. ~
| Article Ave defining the limitation OF
the functions of o modiaeor.says thaee
shall cease ON the moment when 1t is
sisted BY one of the parties to the dispute,
or by the mediator, that the arrangement
or parties to the dispute, or by the media
tor. that the arrangement or the bases Of
. friendly understanding proposed by
him Is not accepted.
Article six says that the good offices
contemplate, either at the instance of the
parties at variance or on the initiative of
uninvoived powers. are exclusively of the
character Of friendly counsel.
Article seven asserts: Acceptance OF
mediation cannot have The effect, except
| by virtue of a convention to the contrary
or interrupting or reading or hampering
mobilization or other preparations for
war. II mediation intervenes AFTER the
opening of hostilities. 1t shall not inter-
rupt, except by virtue Of o convention TO
the contrary, military operations in
| course OF execution. s@ s.
Article leight: The signatories are ID
accord to recommend, in all, ,circumstan-
ces permitting 1t. special mediation in
the following forms: ~ ssfr sss ~
"In the event of grave ID differences
threatening peace. the states lat variance
shall choose respectively a power to which
each shall confide the mission of entering
into direct relations with the power
chosen by the other side, In order to ere
vent rupture of friendly relations.
During the currency Of their mandate
which, except In the event of a stipu
lation to the contrary shall not exceed
thirty days. the question in dispute shal
be cons idered as referred exclusively Il
these po wers. They shall apply all theil
efforts to settle the dispute and, In th,
event Of an actual rupture of friendly
relations. shall remain charged with th,
mission OF taking advantage Of every oo
casion to restore peace. The draft was
adopted without modification although
the committee stipulated that 10 shoule
be subject to notifications at the second
reading
| The naval section of the armament'
committee has unanimously rejected tn,
Russian proposals.