The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-17
THE CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE.

THE CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE.
Last summer the Gar Of Russia is
sued an imperial note suggesting the de-
STABILITY Of the great Powers holding a
conference TO consider an agreement not
TO further increase ornaments during
fixed period, and to endeavor TO find a
means of reducing their respective war
establishments in the future This mas
become popularity known as the peace con-
ference, the first session of which is to
be held at The Hague tomorrow after
noon. Last winter a schedule of ten sub
jects to be discussed at the meeting was
formulated and circulated among the
Powers invited to participate. The sched-
ule is as follows:
u, an agreement not to increase naval
or military forces and the corresponding
budgets for a fixed period; 2, an endeavor
to ind means of reducing the forces and
budgets in the future; 3, introduction Of
the use of any new weapon or explosive
of power fuller than now made; 4, re-
srctiOn of the use of the most terrible
Of existing explosives and forbidding the
throwing Of any explosive from balloons
or similarly; 5, forbidding the employment
VI SulUlidA lAit toiEfctlOtS anu cItiA4ioA W.
trivances; s, undertaking not to construct
vessels with rams; Z, application of the
Geneva convention to naval warfare; s,
naturalization of vessels saving those
wrecked in naval battles; 9, revision of
The declaration concerning the laws and
customs of war elaborated at Brussels In
1874; 10, acceptance of the principle of
mediation and arbitration in such cases
as lend themselves thereto
No one Of those most interested in the
conference-probably not even the pro
poser of it himself-has any idea that the
meeting will accomplish anything tangi-
Bile on the lines of the limitation of arma-
ments and war budgets. This is made
evident by the military activity of each
Of the great Powers without exception.
There is not one but is improving its
arms. great and small, increasing the
stock of them. building new ships and
otherwise strengthening its war power.
Self preservation is a first law of nature
with individuals, and so it is with gov
ernments, hence no virile government is
going to agree to any convention which
would limit its ability to take care of it
self in the event of war
Since 1t is practically assured that the
Cars central idea, which is embodied
in the first two articles of the schedule
of proceedings, will not be fruitful of re-
suits it has been proposed that the
schedule be reversed, TO a certain extent,
and that matters which will receive fav-
orable consideration be placed at the top
of the list. The United States and Great
Britain are understood to be in favor of
putting In the first place the question of
international arbitration, to be followed
by the proposition to extend the Ge-
neva convention to war at sea as well as
on land, and the matter of exernpting
from seizure private vessels and goods not
contraband of war. These are propositions
directly in line with progress and civiliza-
ton, and which all of the Powers viii
probably consider favorably By making
these the leading themes of the confer
ence, favorable action upon them would
give the meeting prestige and moral force
which would be lacking If the disarma-
ment idea were put In first place and then
defeated. And by establishing the prin-
ciple of international arbitration, or paw
ing the way for its adoption, and extend
ing the humane provisions of the Geneva
convention TO all warfare, and enlarging
the rights of individual property during
times of war, a long step would be taken
towards minimizing the danger of war,
mitigating the horrors of battle and bring
ing about finally a universal peace.