Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-31
TO PROMOTE PEACE
SEC. HAYS NOTE PROPOSING A
SECOND HAGUE CONFERENCE.
The Project Of General System Of
Arbitration Treaties Prac-
tically Endorsed.

t1cally 1ndorsed.
In circular note, Secretary Hay has
carried out the Presidents instructions rela-
tive to proposing second Hague confer
ence. The note not only contempiates the
reassembling of The Hague conference for
the consideration of questions specifically
mentioned by the original conference.
demanding further attention, such as the
rights and duties of neutrals; the inviola-
bility of private property in naval warfare,
and the bombardment of ports by naval
force, but goes further by practically in
dorsing the project of a general system of
arbitration treaties and the establishment
of an international congress to meet peri
odically in the interest of peace 1t Is ex-
planned that the issue of the call, 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 text of the note
follows:
Department of State,
Washington October q, 1904.
TO the representatives of the United
States accredited to the governments
signatories to the acts of The Hague
conference, 1899.
Sir: The peace conference which as
sembled at The Hague on May 49, 1899,
marked an epoch in the history of nations.
Called by his majesty the Emperor of Rus
STA, to discuss the problems of the MAIN
tenance OF general peace, the regulation of
the operations of and the lessening of
the burdens which preparedness for event
ual war entails upon modern peoples, its
labors resulted in the acceptance by the
signatory powers of conventions for the
peaceful adjustment of nterna tional diff
culties by arbitration and for certain HUI
name amendments to the laws and customs
uys r NV 10 1,,1
thus accomplished by the conference while
other phases of the general subject were
left to discussion by another conference
IN the near future, such as questions affect
ing the rights and duties of neutrals, the
1nVlolabllity of private property in naval
warfare, and the bombardment of ports,
towns and villages by naval force.
The Interparliamentary Union.
Among the movements which prepared
the minds of governments for an accord in
the direction of assured peace among men
high place may fttingly be given to that
set on foot by the Interparliamentary
Union. From it's origin in the suggestions
of a member of the British house of COM
mons, in 1888. it developed until it's MEM
bership included large numbers of dele
gates from the parlaments of the princi-
pal nations, pledged to exert their infu
ence toward the conclusion of treaties of
arbitration between nations and toward
the accomplishment of peace. It's annual
conferences have notably advanced the
high purposes it sought to realize. Not
only have many international treaties of
arbitration been concluded but in the con-
ference held in Holland in 1894 the memo
rable declaration in favor of a permanent
court of arbitration was a forerunner of
the most important achievement of the
peace conference of The Hague in 1899.
The annual conference of the 1nterpar-
liamentary Union was held this year at st.
Louis. in appropriate connection with the
fair Heljher1fi0nS mark
ed by the same noble devotion to the cause
of peace and to the welfare of humanity
which had inspired its former meetings.
BY the unanimous vote of delegates, active
or retired members of the American Con-
gress and of every parliament in Europe,
with two exceptions the following resolu-
ton was adopted:
Resolutions Adopted.
Whereas enlightened public opinion and
modern civilization alike demand that dl1-
ferences between nations should De adJu-
dictated and settled in the same manner as
disputes between individuals are adJudl-
Gated namely, by the arbitrament OF courts
in accordance with recognized principles
of law this conference requests the sew
eral governments of the world to send del
egates to an international conference to be
held at time and place to be agreed upon
by them for the purpose OF considering;
al The questions for the consideration
of which the conference at The Hague ex-
pressed wish that a future conference be
called.
90 The negotiations of arbitration trea-
ties between the nations represented at the
conference to be convened.
"'3 The ACCESSIBILITY of establishing an
internationa congress to convene period
cally for the discussion of international
questions
land this conference respectfully and
cordially requests the President of the
United States to invite all the nations to
t;,,rr W n
Presented to the President.
ION the 24th of September, ultimo, these
resolutions were presented to the President
by numerous deputation of the Interpar-
liameptary Union. The President 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 hospitality should give voice to it's
impressive utterances in a cause which the
American government and people hold
dear. He announced that he would at an
early day invite the other nations, parties
to The Hague conventions. to reassemole
with view to pushing forward toward
completion the work already begun at The
Hague. by considering the questions which
the first conference had left unsettled, with
the express provision that there should be
a second conference.
Existing War Not Bar.
I'm accepting this trust, the HfeSlQent
vas not unmindful of the fact, so wildly
brought home to all the world, that great
war is now in progress. He recalled the
circumstance that at the time when, on
August "a, 1885, his majesty, the Emperor
of Russia, sent forth his invitation to the
nations to meet in the interests 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 contend
ing 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
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 be-
tween the United States and Spain. 1t
might be the same with reassembled con-
ference at the present time. Its efforts
would naturally lie in the direction of
further codification of the universal ideas
of right and justice, which we call inter-
national law; it's mission would be to give
them future effect
The Presidents Instructions.
1.-THE President directs that you will