Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-15

the floor of the hall, under the very top of
the dome. is little circular gallery.
This furnishes crowded sitting room for
about eight people. and is the only place
from which the interior of the hall can be
seen. 1t was decided to offer this gallery to
as many journalists as could get into it,
and the Dutch government, which had
charge OF the arrangements, out of cOur-
tesy to the delegates settled upon the plan
of admitting one newspaper representative
for each of the important countries. 1t
was owing to this plan, which the crowded
condition of the han made absolutely necas-
sary. that the amusing tale was published
saying that certain newspapers had been
solemnly selected by the conference as the
representative journals in their respective
countries. After the first day 1 was the
only newspaper man admitted to the Pal
ace in the Woods, and l was not admitted
as working journalist.
The general belief was, when the con-
ference began, that England and the Unit
ed states would work absolutely in har-
mony. They did to some extent support
each others propositions, but it was
against the Will of England that the Amer
lean plan of arbitration and mediation was
selected by the conference as the one to
be most carefully considered. Three plans
We're submitted-onc by America one by
Russia and one by England.
Not Taken Seriously.
The idea of disal mament was promptly
abandoned as impra cticable 1t instantly
became evident that not one delegate had
taken this proposition seriously. and the
conference did not even take time to dis
cuss it in committee 1t was in these COM
mittee meetings and not in the sessions of
the conference that the real work was
accomplished
1t was in one of the first committee meet
ings that the delegates for these European
countries which had endeavored to con-
splre against at the time of the Spanish-
American war showed their hostile hands
Tor the first and last Tina. At this meeting
1T became evident that certain governments
INTENDED to take advantage Of the peace
conference to clip the wings of the Amari-
can eagle. Within the year they had been
taught that these wings were mighty and
We're capable of carrying the int .resting
o I. not only from ocean to ocean in his
own dominion but wherever else he pleased
10 soar This effort on the part of the ELL
ropeans to prevent future American fights
came IN the shape of a blow at Americas
Nlcaraguan canal plan.
There is no American enternrise at which
Europe looks with more suspicion and dread
than she does at the proba bility of complete
american control of this proposed water
1t fell to the lot of Frederick w. Hollis the
secretary of the American delegation to dis
cover little joker in one of the PROPOSE
tlons submitted which might have resulted
seriously. rms Joker was passage adroit-
ly and automatically worded which pro-
Vided for nothing less than control by
committee of the powers of all interoceanic
canals in time of war Mr. Hollis so vipor
ously and completely shattered this bright
european dream that Europe could no
longer doubt the ability of our delegates to
look after the affairs doubt the positive
certainty of firm stand on the part of the
United States against anything which might
IN the slightest degree prove contrary to
the interests Of America.
Rules of Warfare.
Inc greatest secrecy was maintained
throughout concerning the plans of the con-
ference in relation to a revision of the rules
of actual warfare. Early in the private
gossip of the delegates, came talk about a
sensational possibility. 1t was very gen.
orally believed by some that the actions of
Spain during the war in Cuba would be
carefully Investigated by the conference
and that some of her violations of the ac-
cepted rules of warfare would be proved bv
testimony which would form the basis for
new regulations The fact that Spanish
officers, high in command, ordered their
troops to fire on our Red Cross flags that
attacks had been made on our wounded as
they We're taken from the battlefelds and
that the Red Cross flag had been used bv
the Spaniards as a mask for their batteries
was freely commented on. The possibility
that l myself might be called as a witness
before one of the subcommittee was early
suggested by two members of one of the
European delegations. The American dele
CATION, however, Immediately saw the mad
visibility of introducing any such note of
discord into the conference, and it was de-
clded IN consequence, to avoid action of
any kind along these lines, although the
delegates all realized the necessity of some
comparatively immediate congress at which
these matters could be discussed This it
was that gave rise to the announcement
that second Geneva conference would be
one of the prompt results of the congress
at The Hague.
The work of the American delegates was
never finished. 1t began with the rising Of
the sun and ceased not with it's going