River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-05-25
TO DISCUSS PEACE.
Opening Session of the Conference
at The Hague.
concentrations Telegraphed to the
Cxar-M. DE StaaI In the Chair
American Members
of Committees.

The Hague, May 19.-The peace con-
ference called by the ear of Russia was
opened at two O'Clock Thursday after
noon in the hall of the Huis Ten Bosch,
or the blouse in the Woods" two miles
from The Hague.
NJ De Beaufort, president of the
council, minister of foreign affairs OF
the government of the Netherlands,
delivered the inaugural address and
welcomed the delegates.
Congratulations to the Gar.
The delegates decided to send the fol-
lowing telegram to the czar:
1.-THE peace conference lays at the feet
of your majesty its respectful congratula-
lions upon the occasion of your birthday
and expresses its sincere desire to cooper
ate in the great and noble work In which
your majesty has taken generous IN
itiative and for which IL begs you to accept
its humble and profound gratitude"
NJ. De Staal, the Russian ambassador
10 Great Britain and head of the Rus
sian delegation, then informally as
sembled the presidency of the confer
ence.
Message to Queen WiIhelmina.
After making his address, NJ. De
Staal, in behalf of the conference, tele-
graphed to the queen of the Neither
lands as follows:
''The members of this conference as
sembled for the first time in this beautiful
Huis Ten Bosch hasten to lay at the feet or
your majesty their best wishes, praying
you to accept their homage and gratitude
for the hospitality you have graciousiy
deieued TO offer them.'
The reading of the message was
warmly applauded.
NJ. De Beaufort was appointed hon
orary president and the leading Dutch
delegate, A. p. C. Van Karnobeck, for
mer minister of foreign affairs and
deputy, was appointed vice president.
After disappointment of nine secre-
taries, NJ. De Stalls proposal that the
sessions be secret was adopted. The
conference then adjourned.
The session lasted only 25 minutes,
and the apparent unanimity displayed
was considered to augur well for the
outcome.
Mckinley TO Nicholas.
Washington, May 19.-The following
cablegram has been addressed by the
president to the emperor of Russia on
the occasion of the opening of the dis
armament conference:
washington, d. c.. May IS. 1S99.-To
His Majesty, Nicholas IL, Emperor of all
the Russias, St Petersburg: On this day
of good omen send my heartfelt congrat-
ulations on the opening of the conference
at The Hague, which had its origin in the
enlightened and generous initiative of your
majesty.
(Signed) WILLIAM NJ KlNLEY.'
Second Days Session.
The Hague, May %. - The second sit
ting of the peace conference took place
Saturday morning and lasted IS min
utes.
The president of the conference, Bar
on De Staal, read the replies of the
car and Queen Wilhelmina to the tele-
grams sent them by the conference on
Thursday.
The president proposed the adoption
of arrangements for the committees,
which was agreed to without discus
sion Baron De Staal further proposed
that, although the principle of secrecy
should be maintained, communications
might be made through the press bu-
reau, subject to the approval of the
president. This was also adopted.
American Members of Committees.
The American members of the COM
mittees are as follows:
Messrs. White, Mahan
and CroZier.
Laws of War-Messrs. White, Newell,
Mahan and Crozier.
Arbitration-Messrs White, Low and
Hollis