The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-05-25
HAGUE CONFERENCE.
The Choice of Presidents of the Va
rious Committees Approved.
MEASURES TO PRESERVE SECRECY
The Question of International Law Likely
to BE Discussed by the Delegates
The Code Prepared for Sub
mission.

The Hague May 24.-The chiefs OF
the delegations to the peace conference
held private meeting yesterday morn
ing at the ''house in the woods and
afterward informed their colleagues Of
the arrangements made for choice OF
presidents of the various committees
as agreed upon Monday evening. The
delegates approved of the selections
made The conference held a plenary
sitting at noon. The selections were
then officially ratified without incident.
The three committees held their first
sessions in the afternoon, these being
devoted solely to inaugural formalities
and an exchange of ideas with regard
to procedure. They will meet again
on Friday. NJ. de Staal, head of the
Russian delegation and president Of
the conference, attended the meeting
of the arbitration committee, sitting
next to NJ. Leon bourgeois, head of the
French delegation.
The measures to preserve the secrecy
of the deliberations have been re-
doubled. Only the delegates and secre-
taries are admitted to the precincts of
the Huis Ten Bosch. Both entrances
to the gardens are closed with barred
gates which are guarded by sentries
under the command of non-cOmmiS-
stoned officers in full uniform. Every
applicant for admission is called upon
to produce an orange colored card
issued to the delegates and to give the
secret password.
Queen Wilhelmina, of the Neither
lands, accompanied by her queen
mother, arrived yesterday evening and
drove through the streets, their males
ties being warmly greeted by the popu-
lace. This afternoon the queen will
receive the chiefs of the various dele
cations who will be presented by Nj. de
Beaufort, minister of foreign affairs.
All the delegates have received invita-
tions to grand reception this evening,
when the delegation chiefs will intro
duce their colleagues and the wives of
the latter to the queen.
INTERNATIONAL LAW.
London, May 24.-The correspondent
of the Morning Post at The Hague says:
The question of international law is likely to
be discussed by the conference. An eminent
professor says that international jurisdiction
has never been officially recognized, despite the
resolutions of peace congresses. nor can an in
ternntional agreement bind nations to enforce
DEGREES pronounced according to such law. The
code prepared for the submission to the
conference provides that the autonomy
OF nations is inviolable; that there is no
right of conquest between them; that
they possess the right OF legitimate defense
and are subject to the same principles of law
and equity us individuals; that no nation has n
right to declare war upon another, and that dis
putes between nations are to be settled by legal
methods. The colonial section of the code deals
with the formation of colonies. 1t recognizes
their right to claim autonomy or independence,
though other nations may intervene when, in
their opinion the administration is unsatis-
factory or the mother country does not heed the
colonial representations.