The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-11-01
PRESIDENT SENDS
CALL FOR PEACE
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as follows:
I'm accepting this trust, the presi-
dent was not unmindful of the fact,
so widely brought home to all the
world, that a great war Is now in
progress. He recalled the circum,
stances that the time when, on Aug
ust oath, 1898. his majesty the En-
peror of Russia sent forth his invi-
tation to the nations to meet IN the
interest of peace, the United States
and Spain had merely halted, in their
struggle, to devise terms of peace.
While at the present moment no
armistice between the parties now
contending is in sight, the fact of an
existing war is no reason why the
nations should relax the efforts they
have so successfully made hitherto
toward the adoption of rules of con-
duct which may make more remote
the chances of future wars between
them In 1899 the conference of The
Hague dealt solely with the larger
general problems which confront all
nations, and issued no function of in
tervention or suggestion in the settle
ment of the terms of peace between
the United States and Spain. 1t
might be the same with reassembled
conference at the present time. It's
efforts would naturally lie in the di-
rection of further codification of the
universal ideas of right and justice
which we call international law; its
mission woulG be to give them future
effect
"The president directs that you
will bring the foregoing considera-
tions to the minister for foreign af-
fairs of the government to which you
are accredited and, in discreet con-
ference with him, ascertain to what
extent that government is disposed to
act in the matter.
Should his excellency invite sug.
gestion as to the character of the
questions to be brought before the
proposed second peace conference,
you may say to him that, at this time,
1t would seem premature to couple
the tentative invitation thus extended
with a categorical program of sub
jects of discussion. 1t is only by
comparison of views that general
accord can be reached as to the mat
ters to be considered by the new con
ference. 1t is desirable that in the
| tinction should be kept clear between
| the matters which belong to the prov
ince of international law and those
which are conventional as between
| individual governments. The final
act of The Hague conference, dated
July 30, 1899, kept this distinction
clearly in sight. Among the broader
general questions affecting the righ
and justice of the relation of sover
eign states, which were then rele
gated to a future conference. were
The rights and duties of neutrals; thu
bombardment of ports, towns and vii
lagos by a naval force. The othe
matters mentioned IN the final ac
take the form of suggestions for con
sideration by interested governments
The three points mentioned cove
a large field The first, especially
| touching the rights and duties of neu
trails, is of universal importance 1t
rightful disposition affects the inter
ests and well being of all the world
| The neutral is something more thar
IN on-looker. His acts Of omission
or commission may have an infiuenc'
indirect, but tangible, on war actual
= in progress; whilst on the othe
hand he may suffer from the exi
gencies of the belligerents. This I
a phase of warfare which deeply con
Germs the world at large. Efforts hav'
been made, time and again, to form
Ilate rules OF action applicable to II
more material aspects, as in the dec
laration of Paris, AS recently as tn
9th of April, this year. the congress o
the United States adopted resolu
tion reading thus:
Resolved by the senate and hous
OF representatives OF the Unite'
States OF America in congress as