New-York tribune., 1904-10-17

tween Germany and England there " Y.. uiu 80 -
general disturbance OF the Worlo - -
il the Russian principles OF conn saea
adopted by either belligerent; and stronger
a1ards than the Declaration Of Parls
required If neutral goods under an e'e---
were TO be exempt from seizure % a. ..-a1 es,,
goods were to have security under d * -
The risks of international complica 'io'- IT,
also be multiplied by war on commerce
setzure bv British cruisers OF American shlpS
heading for German ports or the cdp,1''
German warships of American fooastuhs 1Hu
cargoes destined for England would iheN ~
lead to fresh crisis in international lei'
It is one Of the stock Arguments OF hrl1lsn '-- -
nartinets that England as the strongest lN'i'
fine power must never consent TO ilIllit 'ioi-s
~ belligerent rights. The London STANDARD
Cor example. remarks that the American prlh-
ciple Of absolute security of all private PIoPet'S
al sea except contraband of war "ou'o u
nri,,e Great Britain Of one Of the many means
of distressing an enemy ana would sLi4Ae IiON4
the hands Of all her possible foes the one means
tho,- have Of doing her an injury blue water
xvbile the balance Of naval power remains as II
,s. This exclamation involves a refutation OF
4ba ,,,ilitv Of warfare upon commerce as Del
19arent right Even if the British heet IN
naval war with Germany succeeded in blocKao-
ing Hamburg Bremen and other ports ana Sei1-
ing many enenys ships and neutral cargoeS'
the commerce of the United Kingdom would oe
paralvzed the food supplies seriously reduceu
and large masses of the population exposed 10
starvation. Blockades, moreover cannot Le
made effective without exposing fleets TO con-
slant danger of torpedo attack from shore.
England and Germany or France and Italy, II
they were at war. would have ample Occupation
in keeping their hig ships away from the enc
H,o1a f1p1l
engagements in the open sea. The American
principle in It's broadest application would pro-
tect the commerce OF the world and restrict
naval warfare 10 contests between fighting shlps.
The most speculative optinist at The Hague
viii hardly venture TO forecast the adoption OF
international safeguards for private properly
under any nag the outcome OF another Feace
Congress called by President Roosevelt nor VIII
he he rnduly sanguine respecting the possibility
Of restricting the right Of search other belllg-
erent rights TO the actual theatre OF war. Even
the least hopeful observers here concede that a
uniform dehnitfon Of contrabaud can be adopted
and systematic evasiOns OF the Declaration OF
paris nrevented. These would be great gains
for the security OF commerce and the peace OF
the world. even Il the larger measures for the
protection Of private property and for the lin
itation Of beiligerent rights were not sanctioned
The American proposals would certainly have
stronger support in a new conference than they
received in the first congress at The Hague
Weak nations with large merchant fleets and no
RELAYS nf hattleships behind them viii naturally
ha attracted by the project for exempting pri-
vate property under any flag from attack seiz-
IRE and destruction in time Of war; and ue
trend OF opinion in Germany. France ana Ems
land among the commercial classes Is II tne
same direction. The current idea among naraI
rnartinets and imperialist writers that hloeAaceS
of seaboards and warfare upon commerce are
potential resources Of which no country with
strong feet ought to be deprived by limitations
Of belugerent rights is a tradition o. the Ma
poleonic wars. and it is always easy TO dismiss
the grievances of shippers and merchants with
the reminder that they must make the best OF q
bad situation and pay high insurance premiums
during periods Of hostilities. Time will be re-
ouired before boards of adUiraIJy can be CON
vinced that the conditions OF shoie aeIeilCT9
improved with torpedo practice until b4ockaoInB
operations of extended coasts are lnpracllcdu!e
and that the vast commercial interests or the
world have become so important that naval war
fare must be limited 10 the fighting squaaFons-
The American doctrine stands Tor hlgher CIV
iiization, and its reassertion IN another Feacs
Congress viii be e new landmark OF progress.
The assembling Of new congress VIII Involve
several points OF organization which are con
sidered Of great importance at The Hague one
Is the admission Of various powers. chleny span :
ism American republics, which were not invited
10 the first conference. There are eighteen re-
publican States in tropical America which are
anxious 10 secure representation II the Perma-
nent Court OF Arbitration and in the Peace Con-
gress, and their presence will greatly increase
the advisory functions Of small States. There
is the Vatican. also. which claims the right OF
sending a delegate 70 a conference OF this kind
but the privilege cannot be granted without the
risk. or rather the certainty, Of the retirement
Of the Italian representatives. These questions
can be avoided by limiting the invitations TO
the powers represented at the first congress. and
allowing Il TO exercise its discretion in enlaTg-
ing the arbitration court at The Hague and
welcoming other powers to the deliberations OF
the council OF peace. The Washington govern
ment il il decides to summon the new confer
ence. cannot avoid the responsibility of provd-
ing a definite programme for the session The
powers accepting the invitations Will expect
American direction and instruct their delegates
to stand back and wait for il. The first con-
gress was looked upon at the outset a toy
top, which the Gar could wind up and spin IN
his own way, but In the end the American and
British delegations took charge Of II and Gre
ated the arbitration tribunal. Practical results
viii be expected, II a second conference is held
in this European whispering gallery Of jeaI-
ousies and suspicious and by these American
| leadership VIII be judged rather than by cor
rectness OF pose toward any high moral issue,
or by any increase OF prestige in controlling the
new Parliament of Man. l. F.
EDITOR FIGHTS PULLMAN CONDUCTOR