Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-08-10

The Cars international peace confer
ence at The Hague has concluded its
work. A fair estimate of what has been
accomplished cannot he made until the
propositions agreed TO have been pub
lished in full But no proposition look
ing TO the disarmament of nations was
adopted. The signatory powers agreed
to use all their efforts to insure peace
full solution in international differences,
but il was provided that the good offices
or mediation OF Il third power shall ex-
clusively have the bearing of good coun-
sci without compulsory force. Offers of
mediation in any given case shall not
cause the suspension of war preparations
or the interruption of war. Special
forms of mediation are recommended, but
only recommended. Differences which
may be made the object Of local injury,
and which do not involve the honor or
vital interests Of the powers concerned,
are to be submitted to international com
mittees of inquiry, but the reports of
these committees are not to have the
character of an arbitration award, but
are TO leave the powers concerned at lib
erty to act as they feel best.
Arbitration is acknowledged TO be the
most efficient and most equitable mode
of settling differences, and the signatoryl
powers agree TO organize n permanent
court of arbitration accessible at all
times. 1t is optional with any power
whether il shall take any particular case
before the arbitration court or not. Ar
ticle 27 declares: The signatory powers
consider it their duty. whenever an acute
conflict threatening TO peace occurs be-
nj tn fn hn lnf
ter that the arbitration couri is open to
them" The American delegates took
exception TO this article, and insisted
that the language be so modified that the
United States may in no case be Obliged
TO interfere in European affairs, or Eu-
rope in American disputes. Declarations
were adopted prohibiting the use OF as
phyxiating projectiles or expanding bull
lets, which Great Britain and the Unit
ed States declined To accept.
Nothing has been accomplished as to
disarmament, and little more than dec
larati9n favorable to the principle Of ar
bitratlon has been accepted by all the
powers. The questions that relate to IA
nations honor have not been legislated
upon, and nearly all questions that pre-
cipitate war do relate to a nations hon
tablished on the plan marked out, no ma
ton is bound TO accept the plan. Ger
tainly in the United States the scheme
will have 10 be approved by the Senate
The proposal TO declare the inviolability
of private property during war on land
and sea, and the proposal regulating tae
question of the bombardment Of ports,
towns and villages by naval forces, were
referred to future conferences.
The United States has especial cause
for qualification and pride at the outcome
OF the proceedings at The Hague. Ar
bitration is policy that this nation more
than any other has been instrumental
in inducing the world to adopt. In it's
principles and main provisions, though
not in details, the plan agreed upon at
The Hague is in accord with the PROPOSE
tions submitted by the Americans, which
called for permanent tribunal, with
voluntary arbitration, the award to be
morally binding upon both parties after
they have joined in an application for ar
bitration. In the dominating force of it's
ideas the United States has won recog-
milton as world power in the best sense
of that term.