The Anaconda standard., 1899-06-06
A SCHEME OF MEDIATION
Presented at Meeting of the
Arbitration Committee.
1T WILL BE MODIFIED
Defines the Role of Mediation and the
Cases in Which Intervention Can
Take Place - Limited to
Thirty Days.

The Hague. June 5.-The arbitra ton
committee of the peace conference held
a meeting to-day under the chairman
ship of M. Leon Bourgeois. Andrew D.
White, head of the United States dele
cation; Sir Julian Pauncefote, head Of
the British delegation, and M. de Staal,
head of the Russian delegation, with all
the members of the committee, were
present.
After NJ. Bourgeois had made symp-
athletic reference to the death Of Miss
Roth, daughter of DR.. Roth, head of the
Swiss delegation, who was killed in a
railway accident last Thursday at
Flushing, the secretary Of the drafting
committee read the draft scheme of
mediation it had under consideration.
Articles and are declaratory to the
effect that the signatory powers in or
der to prevent recourse to force, have
agreed to effect pacific solutions of diff
ferences and will, except in exceptional
circumstances, have recourse to the
mediation of one or more friendly
powers.
Article 3-Independently of recourse
to such amicable means, the signatories
deem it expedient that one or more
powers concerned in the conflict should
offer, of it's or their own initiative, and,
so far as circumstances will permit, it's
other good offices of mediation to the
states at variance.
The right to offer good offices of medi-
alton belongs to powers not concerned
in the conflict, even during the course
of actual hostilities; and the exercise of
this right can never be considered by
the parties thvariance as an nnfriendly
act. s.ssrs4tkssssss
Article 4 provides that the role of
mediator shall consist in the reeoncilia-
ton of conflicting clauses and the allay-
ing of bitterness between states at vari-
ance.
Article 5, defining the limitation of
the functions of mediator, says these
shall cease on the moment when it Is
stated by onesof the parties to+the dis
| pute or by the mediator that the ar
| rangement or the basis Of a friendly un-
derstanding proposed by him is not ac-
| cepted.
Article says that the good offices
| contemplates either at the instance OF
| the parties at variance or on the in
| itiative of uninvolved powers are eX-
clusively of the character of friendly
! counsel.
Article asserts: Acceptance of me-
| diation cannot have the effect. except
by virtue of a convention to the con-
! trary, of interrupting or retarding OF
hampering mobilization or other prep
arations for war. If mediation inter
venes after the opening Of hostilities
it shall not interrupt, except by virtue
| of a convention to the contrary, mill.
| tary operations in course of execu
| tion.
| Article 9-The signatories are in &C
cord to recommend in all circumstances
permitting it special mediation in the
| following form: In the event of grave
differences threatening peace, the
states at variance shall choose respect
lively power. to which each shall con
tide the mission of entering into delib
erationS with the power chosen by tht
other, in order to prevent a rupture O
friendly relations. During the currency
of their mandates. which, except in tn,
event of a stipulation to the contrary
shall not exceed 30 days, the question il
dispute shall be considered as referred
exclusively to these powers. They shall
apply all efforts to settle the disput
and in the event of an actual rupture o
friendly relations shall remain charge.
with the mission of taking advantage
of every occasion to restore peace"
The draft was adopted without modi
ficaton. although the committee stipu
lated that it should be subject to modi
fications at the second reading.