Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-11-08
ASKS PEACE MEETING.
HAY ISSUES CALL FOR SECOND
HAGUE CONFERENCE.

Secretary of State Instructs Country's
Diplomatic Representatives to Urge
Congress at Posts at Which They
Serve-WouId Not Delay for the War.
In circular note made public Sun
day Secretary of State Hay has carried
out President Roosevelts instructions
relative to proposing a second Hague
conference. The note not only eontem-
plates the reassembling of The Hague
conference for the consideration OF
questions specifically mentioned by the
original conference as dem2Huing fur
Their attention, such as the rights and
duties of neutrals, the inviolability Of
private property in naval warfare and
the bombardment of ports by naval
force, but goes further by practically
indorsing the project of general sys-
TEN of arbitration treaties and the es-
tablishment of an international con-
gress to meet periodically in che inter
ests of peace. The issue of the cali
while the present war is in progress is
justified by the fact that the first
Hague conference was called before
our treaty of peace with Spain was
concluded. The note is addressed to
1.-THE Representative of the United
States Accredited to the Governments
Signatories to the Acts of The Hague
Conference, $780," and in part follows:
The peace conference which assem-
bled at The Hague on May IS, 1899,
marked an epoch in the history of ma
tiuns. Called by his majesty the EN-
peror of Russia to discuss the prob
lens of the maintenance of general peace,
the regulation of the operations of war
and the lessening of the burdens which
preparedness for eventual war entails
upon modern peoples, its labors resulted
III the acceptance by the signatory pow
ers of conventions for the peaceful adj
justment of international difficulties by
arbitration, and for certain humane
amendments t. tie laws aud customs OF
war by land aud sea. y great WORK was
thus accomplished by the conference,
while other phases of the general sub
ject We're left to discussion by another
conference in the near future, such as
questions affecting the rights and duties
OF neutrals, the inviolability of private
property in naval warfare and the bonn
bardment of ports, towns and villages by
naval force
Among the movements which prepared
the minds of government for an accord
in the direction of assured peace among
men, a high place may fttingly be given
to that set on foot by the Interparlia-
mentary Union. From its origin in the
suggestions of member of the British
House of Commons in 1888, it developed
until its membership included large num-
bers of delegates from the parliaments
OF the principal nations, pledged to eX-
ert their influence toward the conclusion
of treaties of arbitration between ma
tons and toward the accomplishments of
peace. It's annual conferences have no.
tably advanced the high purposes it
sought to realize. Not only have many
international treaties of arbitration been
concluded, but in the conference held
in Holland in 1894, the memorable dec
laration in favor of a permanent court
of arbitration was Il forerunner of the
most important achievement of the peace
conference of The Hague in 1889.
The annual conference of the Inter
parliamentary Union was held this year
at st. Louis, in appropriate connection
with the worlds fair. It's deliberations
were marked by the same noble devotion
TO the cause of peace and to the welfare
of humanity which had inspired its for
mer meetings. BY the unanimous vote
of delegates, active or retired members
of the American Congress and of every
parliament in Europe, with two excep-
lions, the following resolution was adopt
ed:
Whereas. Enlightened public opinion and
modern civilization alike demand that differ
ences between nations should be adjudica-
ted and settled in the same manner as dis
putes between individuals are adiudicated,
namely. by the arbitrament of courts in ac-
cordance with recognized principles of law,
this conference requests the several gov
ernments of the world to send delegates to
an international conference, to be held at
time and place to be agreed upon by them
for the purpose of considering
1. The questions for the consideration of
which the conference ut The Hague ex-
pressed a wish that a future conference be
called
,. The negotiation of arbitration treaties
between the nations represented 1t the con-
ference to be convened.
8. The ACCESSIBILITY of establishing an
international congress to convene periodi-
cally for the discussion of international
questions.
And this conference respectfully and cor
daily requests the President of the United
States to invite all the nations to send rep
resentatives to such conference
On the oath of September, ultimo,
these resolutions were presented to the
President by numerous deputation of
the Interpariamentary Union. The Pres
ident accepted the charge offered to him,
feeling it to be most appropriate that
the executive of the nation which had
welcomed the conference to its hospital
ity should give voice TO its impressive
utterances in cause which the Ameri-
can government and people hold dear.
He announced that he would at an early
day invite the other nations, parties to
The Hague conventions, to reassemble
with view to pushing forward toward
completion the work already begun at
The Hague. by considering the questions
which the first conference had left IN
settled with the express provision that
there should be a second conference.
In accepting this trust, the President
was not unpdldfu of the fact. so vividly
brought home to all the world, that
great wal is now in progress. He re-
called the circumstance that at the time
when. on Aug. "a. 1898. his majesty the
Emperor of Russia sent forth his invita-
ton to the nations TO meet in the inter-
ests 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 conteadinS is in sight. the
fact of an existing war is no reason why
the nations should relax the efforts they
have so successfully mate hitherto to-
ward the adoption of rules Of conduct
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 assumed
no function of Intervention or suggestion
in the settlement Of the terms of peace
between the United States and Spain.
Ii might be the same with reassem-
hled conference ut the present time. Its