The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-31
Progress OF The
Peace Conference
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
LTHOUGH representatives Of the
M press are not permitted to attend
I'm the conference at The Hague,
IN good deal of information is forth
II u coming with regard to the purport
of the proceedings. 1t is generally ac-
knuwledged that the Cars primary pur-
pose has no chance of fulfilment, but
that, nevertheless, the conference will
not have been called entirely in vain.
Not only will no serious attempt be made
to bring about a reduction of arma-
ments, but there is no prospect of an
agreement on the part of the great pow
ers not to increase their existing mill
tary and naval forces. Our own govern
ment would certainly refuse to re-
nounce its intention of expanding our
navy to proportions commensurate with
our commercial capabilities and our ma
tional Importance Surely foredoomcd
to failure, also, is the proposal that the
powers represented at The Hague shall
pledge themselves not to adopt any fur
ther Improvements in rifles, cannon and
other apparatus of war Such a stipula-
ton would be obviously unjust to ma
tions that are distinguished for inventive
talent and are thereby enabled, in some
degree, to counterbalance the numerical
inferiority of their standing armies.
-:o:-
1t seems, too, improbable that our plan,
originally put forward at the Congress of
Paris In 1856, and now resubmitted, our
plan, namely, for the exemption from
capture at sea of an enemy's private
property not contraband of war, will
be accepted at this conference. Eng
land, which opposed the project forty
three years ago, still views IT with dis
approval. and it is reported that France
and Italy are also arrayed against 1t.
ing, however is certain to be renewed
by those powers that formerly subscribed
to it, and it Is possible that the repre-
sentatives of the United States may now
take n similar position. 1t will be re-
membered that our government refrained
from issuing letters of marque during
the recent war with Spain. We observe,
finally before turning to what is ex-
pected to constitute the chief work of
the conference, that the delegates are
likly to concur in establishing a fixed in
| ternatonal rule for the treatment and
| exchange of prisoners of war.
| -:o:-
Those who have hoped that the confer
ence would justify it's name, and prac-
| tically promote the maintenance of peace
| by encouraging recourse to arbitration,
| seem likely TO be gratified in part. Both
| England and Russia have submitted pro-
posals for the creation of a permanent
board of arbitration, and a third project
| is to be propounded by the United States.
| The details of none of these plans are yet
known, If they have been formulated,
| but the principle common 10 them all is
| the establishment of permanent inter-
| national board of arbitrators which will
| sit, doubtless, in a country the neutrality
| of which is either guaranteed or gem
| orally respected, that is to say, in Switz-
| erland or Belgium. The question whether,
| in all cases, recourse to this tribunal
| shall be voluntary or compulsory Is GER
tain to provoke prolonged discussion. It
is reported that Russia would make ar
| bitration obligatory in judicial disputes
and in controversies relating to pecuniary
| claims, and also as to the Interpretation
| of clauses in treaties, where these do not
| involve a nations homer or territorial in
tegrity.
1t would be, of course, easy to adduce
instances In which two governments
| might reasonably differ as to whether
| national honor or territorial integrity
was involved in the Interpretation of a
treaty. Where such a difference oc-
| cured a nation would be recognized as
| the sole judge of its own honor, and no
arbitration would take place. There are
a multitude of questions. however, like
most of those which were recently dis
|
Commission, as to which nobody would
set up the plea that a nations honor
or territorial integrity was. in any way,
affected. If England and the United
States were now bound to refer such
questions to a permanent board of arbi-
traitors, some of our controversies with
Canada could be speedily adjusted. The
submission to arbitration. on the other
hand, of a dispute like that about the
Alaska boundary would be not compul
sorry, but voluntary. There is no doubt
however, that were IT once made rule
of international law that particular
class of questions must be settled by ar,
bitration, a considerable impetus would
be given TO the sentiment IN favor of ne,
curing on almost all occasions 10 the
same peaceful tribunal, thus, althougt
there would still remain conditions under
which a resort to war could not posi-
bly, be aveTted. the number II such Ie
grettable contingencies would perhaps bt
miIIrniZed.
| -:o:-
Something has been gained for tn,
cause of humanity and progress in tho
''Cry fact that representatives of tht
most civilized nations on earth have as
sembled for the avowed purpose OF de