The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-12-01
WHEN WAR is ENDED
Russia Unwilling to Join
Second Hague Conference.
COUNT CASSINI REPLIED VERBALLY
Cars Ambassador Regretted Neces-
sity of This Postponement - Our
Government VIII Rest ON Its
Oars For the Present.

WASHINGTON, Dee. 1.-RuSsia is
unwilling to join the powers in sec
| Ond peace conference ut The Hague
until her war with Japan is ended.
The Russian reply to Secretary
| Hays circular note to the powers in
| vtng them in the name of the presi-
| dent to reassemble in conference at
| The Hague ito complete the postponed
work of the first conference was de-
livered verbally to Secretary Hay yes
teyday afternoon by Count Cassini, the
| Russian ambassador. The ambassador
was requested by his government to
say that Russia heartily accepted in
principle the invitation to II second con
ference at The Hague and gladly aSso-
ciated herself with the American gov
eminent in its effort to complete the
mission of the first great assembly
convened under the leadership of the
Russian emperor. The ambassador was
further requested to say that while the
Russian government very sincerely
cherished these views it did not consid-
rr the moment oppOrtune for the con
roniuG of such conference, ana it
therefore must withhold its formal ac-
reptance of the invitation until the war
in tie far east was ut an end.
Secretary Hay ana Count Cassini
were in conference for nearly IN hour.
The ambassador was careful TO assure
the secretary that his government wei
coined the invitation of the president
as an additional evidence of the Amer
lean governments appreciation of the
hcneHcent results of the first confer
ence and regretted the necessity of
suggesting postponement of the work
then begun, work in which the Rus
sian government no less than the
American was keenly interested
Secretary Hay thanked the ambassa-
dor for the cordiality with which the
declaration of Russia's adherence in
principle to the proposition had been
conveyed to the American government
and assured him he would forthwith
transmit the reply to the president.
Although different in form, the Rus
sian reply does not differ in effect
from that of Great Britain, France
and the other European powers. prac-
tically all of which already have an
swered the invitation. While Russia
is the first power specifically to sug-
gest postponement until the close of
the war, all the powers in expressing
their approval of the proposition re
served for future pour parlers the time
when the conference should he held.
1t can be stated that this government
is well pleased with the reception its
note has received. The powers sigma
tory to The Hague convention have
been officially committed TO second
conference at some future time. In
his note Secretary Hay purposely
omitted suggesting a date for the as
scmblng of the conference, realizing
that certain powers might hesitate to
take mp for final definition such com
plicated questions rs the rights of
neutrals ut Il time when Il great war
was in progress So far as the Russian
government is concerned it is stated
that it is naturally averse to discus
sion of the many important questions
which would come before the confer
ence at time when its attention is de-
voted To a foreign war.
In diplomatic circles the news of
RuSSia's conditional reply caused some
surprise. The caution which character
ized even the consideration of the in
yitation at 81. Petersburg made sew
eral ambassadors here doubtful about
the favorable reception of the, Ameri-
can note. This doubt has been removed.
however, by the friendly terms in
which the reply was couched.
For the present it is probable the
American government will rest on its
oars When the far eastern war en-
tiers on its final stage this government
will be prepared to follow up its in
vitation
In the meantime should RuSsia's at
titude change she will find the Ameri-
can government ready To lead the pow
erS Immediately to The Hague for their
second conferences