The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-13
The Interparliamentary Union.

4 The twelfth annual session of the
Observation-Disclosures union, representing
International peace and arbltfatlon
sentiment IN America, Austria, Belgium
Denmark. England, France, Germany,
Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Nor
way, Portugal, Rumania, Sweden and
Switzerland, began yesterday at st.
Louis with addresses of mutual con-
Graduation by the delegates.
I Known as 1.-The Peace Congress-,
ahis great gathering OF champions or
arbitration and all that makes for the
honorable peace of the civilized world
has an opportunity to accomplish some
thing more than to place on record an
other chapter of pretty mouthlngs OF
sentiments of peace. 1t has, antlpodally,
q realistic, example Of the horrors and
niSeries and excuses of war between
two of the civilized nations OF the
world, the head Of one of them being
the so-caled "ApOstle Of Peace, at
whose solicitation twenty-slN nations
assembled at The Hague in 1899. Pos
siblv the conference at The Hague went
as far as was justified by then exist
ing public sentiment among the nations
1t simply established board OF arbl-
traitors permanently, to which lnterna-
#ional disputants may at all times sub
init, their controversies, if they choose.
., Of course, nations have always had
the option of submitting their differ
,ences to arbitration, but it certainly is
in the interest of peace to provide a
nI n
and decide between those in contro-
Yorsy True there has been no great
pressure Of business upon the tribunal
lat The Hague and there will not be un-
til public sentiment reaches the com.
1pelling stage. Our own government
has given the tribunal most of the bust
ness it has had of any Importance.
- The interparliamentary union is or
1ganized to promote international arbi
'rration 1t will discuss the questions
which were left over by The Hague
conference which, in parting, especially
Recommended that future conferences
should examine faithfully the American
proposal tending to declare the in
availability of private property on lane
gand sea and the question of regulating
3the bombardment of ports, towns ant
villages by naval force, and notably thu
determination and codifcation of tn
rights and duties of neutrals.
.hgj.. It is evident that, with the abov
points unsettled, there is still room 70
amazing variations of opinion as t
;What are the rights and duties o
neutrals. The present war in the orien
has shown how unsettled questions a
HWavs provoke international difference:
Russia s individual code of neutrs
tights and duties differs from tn
8Declaration of Paris which she signed i
5l856 along with six other powers
ssfiffers from the conceptions of Grea
sBritain, Germany and the United State
on the subject. She has not yet 0.
sfered any justification for her piratic;
aact of sinking the Knight Commando
The case Of the auxiliary cruiser LEM
(which has put into San Francisco ha
dor for repairs which require mentl
to effect, suggests the cheek of the MI
covite belligerent, who has already lo
the services of battleship and sewers
cruisers and destroyers by deliberat
violations of Chinese neutrality, an
4been compelled to dismantle and unloa
4the ships for prolonged repair soiourn
The full discussion by the interpa
liamentary union at ST. Louis Of the
subjects, with definite conclusion
would be notable contribution to IL
xIaeneral interest in the uncodifed poin
6ipf international usage, which need ge
eeral recognition.