Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-10
WORK TOGETHER FOR PEACE
Britain and America Will Each Advocate
Arbitration at The Hague,
THAT PRINCIPLE TO BE CHIEF ISSUE URGED
Delegates Are Not Confident of Gain.
ing support OF Conference, But
Hope TO Meet with
Eventual Success.

WASHINGTON, May 9.-The United States
and Great Britain will stand together in the
advocacy of the adoption of a scheme for the
settlement Of international disputes by arb-
tration which will be presented to the dis
armament conference at its meeting in The
Hague on May 16. The American delegates,
headed by Ambassador White, are equipped
with a fairly we'll digested' plan for the exc
cution of this long cherished project, while
the British delegates are prepared with
plan which is almost identical with the
American project.
The details cannot be procured for publi-
cation in advance Of the presentation of the
projects to the conference II is known
however, that there are essential differences
between the last plan and that embodied In
the treaty drafted by Secretary Olney ana
Sir Julian Pauncefote, which failed of ac-
ton in the senate when submitted for ratin-
cation. The differences are rather on the
methods provided for securing an impartial
adjudication than in the main principles ana
it is believed that on these points the British
and American propositions are not especially
dissimilar. 1t cannot be said that the
American delegates go to the conference with
any strong expectations that their own
scheme for securing the adjustment of dis
putes by arbitration, or indeed, any project
of the kind will secure the adhesion of the
entire conference or even majority of the
delegates. But they are content to plant the
seed and make p beginning which it IL
hoped by the prilhdent and Secretary Hay
will in the end slive substantial results.
The American delegates go committed to
this arbitration project much more strongly
than to anything likely to figure before the
conference. Regarding disarmament their
instructions are to tell the conference that
the present armament of the United States
and any within the possibilities of the future
are so far below the present minimum arma>
ment with which any of the great powers OF
Europe are likely to be content that there is
really no reason why the United States
should be called into the agreement
Other Points to BE striven For.
Other points upon which the delegates have
been instructed are correctly referred to In
the cable dispatches this morning, namely,
the exemption from seizure of individual
property and the extension of the Red Cross
rules to warlike operations at sea. AS to the
former the president expressed himself
strongly in his last message to congress and
tho delegates go charged to give practical
effect to these views. AS to the Red Cross
extension, both the United States and Spain
during the recent war voluntarily agreed to
apply the Red Cross rules at sea. But an
other point in the instructions which Is not
mentioned in the cable dispatches is that re-
lating to the amelioration of the horrors of
war and with this, too, the American dele
gates are deeply concerned. 1t was because
of the presidents interest in this subject, as
muce as for any other reason, that the two
technical experts, Captain Mahan and Cap.
tain Crozier, were included in the American
delegation and the State department is en-
couraged to hope that something in this d.
rection will be accomplished at the ap-
preaching conference.