The evening times., 1900-02-03
THE HAGUE CONFERENCE
IFS Bearing on United States Medi-
alton i'm The Boer War.
The Treaty Recognized the Validity
I of the Monroe Doctrine-Thc Gov
Prnment Cannot Wake Advances
Its Interference Must First He He-
quested ID. Roth Beiiigerents.

persistent and perhaps concerted ef-
fort is being made TO induce the Govern
ment TO take the first step toward prac-
tical application of the mediation provis-
ions OF The Hague Conference treaty 10
The war between Great Britain aud the
! Bocr Republic Not only are resolutions
adopted by public meetings and by per-
manent organizations looking to chat end
/ being received at the State Department.
bat the President and the Secretary of
! State are getting scores OF letters from
individuals ali over the country urging
the Administration 70 seek to bring about
! the termination of the bloody struggle.
The statement attributed TO Senator Ma
/ son Of Illinois that Montagu White. the
TIansNaal's private agent in America. had
! been informed by the Secretary of state
that this Government could not offer me-
diation because The Hague treaty had rot
been ratified by the United States Senate,
does rot fully or fairly represent the po-
sition of the Government in the matter.
There is another and more important rea-
son why the Government viii not become
ID party of mediatory proceedings, which
1 would be just as much an obstacle 10
American interference if The Hague treaty
had become operative.
II thar treaty, all the nations bound
themselves to the observance of an inter-
: national rule of which little has been said
and is importance and extent almost en-
/ Iirely overlooked In effect this rule is
general agreement binding all foreign ma
Jious who are parties to the treaty To rec
/ co and observe he Monroe DnptriOh
ard in turn. the United States binds Itself
TO keep from meddling in the political at-
fairs OF any foreign country. The Gov
ernmenJ has not exploited the important
yiciCry which it Won at The Hague in Sc
curing a Worldwide recognition of its ira
dilional policy concerning purely American
affairs for the reason that such a course
might bring about opposition i'm foreign
countries 10 the ratification OF the treaty
! on the ground that The United States is
getting altogether too much benefit from
( he Monroe doctrine declaration. But II IS
now realized that the position ~ the Gov
ernment must be fally explained 10 pre-
vent misc0nceptiOn Of its attitude con-
cerning the proposal thai mediation be Of
Tered 30 Great Britain and the TTansyaal.
That the scope OF the declaration of The
Hague conference may be understood, 4. IS
here given;
"No:hing contained in this convention
shah be 50 construed as to require ire
United States Of America TO depart frCm
lJs traditional policy of not intrudiug up
Ur. interfering with. or entangling itself
IN the political questions of policy CT in
ternal administration of any foreign state.
nor shall anything contained in the slid
convention be construed to imp1F a re-
linqushment by the United States of
America OF its traditional attitude toward
purely American questions
iu ether words, the United States in
tends that II shall not as d nation be
drawn into foreign quarrels through The
application of the mediation provision CT
Tire Hague convention, and il expects
and is 80 assured, thar foreign countries
viii pursue the negative policy of hands
usi an relations TO the affairs OF the three
Americas. President Mckinley in his
last annual message, called attention TO
The Hague declaration. without going into
details as 10 its Importance. explaining it
Ip these words
While earnestly promoting the idea of
establishing a permanent international
tribunal. the delegation Of the United
States tat The Hague) was not unmind-
fui oi the Inconvenience which might
alise from an obtrusive exericse of medi-
ation. and in signing the convention care
fully guarded the historic position Of the
United States by the following daclsIa-
lien. which is that quoted above.
A Government official of the highest
sanding said last night that he regarded
ha declaration a most important matter
affecting the foreign relations of the Uni
ted States since the PRONUNCIATION of the |
Monroe Doctrine: in fact he added il was
of greater Importance than President Mon
roe's famous announcement 10 the world.
because ii was the first formal recognition |
by all The great nations of the policy OF |
America FOR Americans. Another promi-
nent official said: Without the deClara- |
jiou The Hague treaty might fail of rati- /
dcation by the Senate; with it in the trea- |
~. no Senator with the interests of his /
country ai heart can afford to vote against /
The Hague convention. Ii is my opinion /
that he declaration will prevent the Uni |
ted States from offering mediation to the |
British and the Beers or in joining in any
general offer. unless we are requested to
DO SO boy both belligerents, but the impor-
iance. the far-reaching effect, and the
nenedr 30 be derived by the United States
from The declaration are such that they
entirely outweigh the reasons for any gen
"rdl desire on the part of the people Of /
this country 10 have the GoverNnent be
come a party to the British-Boer war
Putting aside all other considerations
har would deter il from Offering media
non. The Government OF the United states |
would sun be deferred by the declaration
quoted from taking the initiative in ten
deriDg good Offices to'the beligerents in
South Africa or becoming a party 10 a
European concert for that purpose. The
Government position toward the war is
now the same as it was when hostflities
began. This attitude was explained by
President Mckinley in his annual message
as follows:
This Government has maintained an al
tltude OF neutrality in the unfortunate
contest between Great Britain and the
B0er states of Africa. We have remain
ed faithful to the precept of avoiding en-
langling alliances as TO affairs not of our
direct concern. Had circumstances sug- |
gested that the parties to the quarrel |
would have welcomed any kindly express |
sion Of The hope CO the American people |
hat war might be averted, good Offices
VnUld have been gladly rendered - |