The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-01
nuE orrLoolx Ag Tpfs iAdEF.

Y
Isthas beensyVksent FOR -sans tin2e that
Tn6thing in the directI3a. 81 jtlsarmanaenr
ar the lipitation of larmauenlS ~ the
shohibitionf bsapilitary intentfons would
BE aecenpllshed by the peace conference
at The Hague IN fact there were few.
if any, who believed Chat anything would
be accomplished in that drSction when
the conference was proposed by the Gar.
II is<said that the Gar is very much dis
appointed. and that he has sent a mes
| senger' secretly to Berlin to see If the po-
sition taken by the German Emperor in
respect to the matter cannot be changed.
There is no probability that Emperor
William viii make any concessions to the
Car. He has been against the disarma-
ment proposition from the very first, es-
pecially in the shape in which it was pre-
sented by Russia. According 10 the Rus
sian proposition the limitation of arma-
ments was not to extend to colonial forces
The acceptance Of that proposition would
have been favorable to Russian interests
and against those of Germany.
In fact Russia stands practically alone
in respect to the disarmament proposition.
| Neither this country nor Great Britain
| has given 1t a hearty Endorsement. And
it is doubtful if Russia however much she
may have desired its acceptance, thougnt
that it had much chaneesPf being APP
| proved by the other parties to the confer
| ence. II is certain that pending the action
| of the conference she hasn't ceased work
on her navy. She is now engaged in
spending 100000 for battleships and
| cruisers and ornaments for them That
doesn't look as if she expected that her
proposition to limit ornaments would he
approved,
There isn't any doubt that her military
and naval burden is a very heavy one and
that she would like to get rid of some Of
it, but il is apparent that she viii not ac-
complish that object through the peace
conference. The thought is being thrown
out by some of the European newspapers
\ that, in justice to the millions of her own
people who are now on the verge of star
walton. and for whose assistance appeals
are being made in European capitals,
she ought to use some of the money she is
spending in increasing her navy in buy
ing bread for those of her people whose
sad condition is attracting the attention of
the whole civilized world.
But while the proposition to limit arm
aments is practically dead there appears TO
be chance for the arbitration proposi-
ton That proposition was also made by
Russia, but not in the shape in which it
is likely to be approved. Russia proposed
compulsory arbitration. She didn't receive
any encoura cement. Great Britain and
the United States offered voluntary arbi-
tration as a substitute. Germany firmly
objected 10 the Russian proposition, and
at first indicated that she wouldn't agree
TO arbitration of any kind, but she was led
to see that there was a great deal of merit
in the proposition which had the support
of Great Britain and the United States
and now Il is thought the outcome of the
conference will be the defeat of every
thing pertaining to armament and al
agreement respecting arbitration.
If the conference does nothing moro
than provide that nations shall undertake
to settle their difficulties with each othel
with the aid of friendly Power before
resorting to arms it win have accomplish
ed a great deal. It's work will mark a dis
tinct advance in the direction of putting
an end to costly and bloody wars. and give
ground for hope that the time isn't very
distant when the toiling millions of every
country can safely be relieved of tht
greater part of the burden of military es
< adjustments.