The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-31
MoNTGos FRY. ALABAMA. MONDAY OCTOBER

United States and Spain had merel, halted in their struggle to devise term' of peace. While at the present momen' no armistice between the parties now contending is in sight, the fact of ar existing war is no reason why the nn' tions should relax the efforts they have so successfully made hitherto toward adoption of rules of conduct which may make more remote the chances of fu- ture wars between them. In 1S99 the conference of The Hague dealt solely with the larger general problems which confront all nations and as- sumed no function of intervention or suggestion in the settlement of the terms of peace between the United States and Spain It might be the same with reasonable conference at the present time. It's efforts would naturally lie in the direction, of fur ther codification of the universal ideas of right and Justice which we call in ternational laws and It's mission will be to give them future effect.
 "The president directs that you will bring the foregoing considerations to the attention of the minister of foreign affairs of the government to which you are accredited. In discreet conference with him ascertain to what extent that government is disposed to act in the matter.
 Should his excellency invite sugges- tion as to the character of the questions to be brought before the proposed sec ond peace conference, you may say tc him that at this time 1t would seem premature to couple the tentative In vitation thus extended with a categor. ical program of subjects of discussion It is only by comparison of views that general accord can be reached as tt the matters to be considered by thu new conference.
 Tt is desirable that in the formula. tion of program the distinction should be kept clear between the matters which belong to the province of inter. national law and those which are con. ventional as between individual gov. ernments. The final act of the Hague conference dated July 2s, 1899, kept this distinction clearly in sight. Among the broader general questions affecting the right and justice of the relation of sovereign states which were ther relegated to a future conference were
 'The rights and duties of neutrals the inviolability of private property in naval warfare and the bombardment oi ports towns and villages by a snavai force. The other matters mentioned in the final act take the form of sugges tions or considerations by the inter ested Governments.
 The three points mentioned cover d large field. The first. especially touch ing the rights and duties of neutrals ls of universal importance. Its rIghtful disposition affects the interests and well being of all the world. The neu- TT ic tr.o hax. His acts of omission or commission may have an infuence--indirect but tangible --on war actually in progress, whilst on the other hand he may suffer from the exigencies of the beIligerents Tt Is this phase of naval warfare which directly concerns the world al large. Efforts have been made time and again to formulate rules of action 1 applicable to It's more material aspect as fin the declarations of Paris. As re- gently as the 2sth of April of this year | the Congress of the United States | adopted a resolution reading thus: l Resolved. bs the Senate and Houss of Representatives of the United State: of Americas in Congress assembled That 1t is the sense of the Congress oi the United States that it is desirable in the interest of uniformity by tn, maritime States of the world in tim, | of war that the President endeavor tC i bring about an understanding among the principal maritime powers with l; view of incorporating into the perma nent law of civilized nations the princi pie of the exemptions of all privat, l property at sea not contraband of wa | from capture or destruction by bel 1 ligerents.
 Approved April 2s. 1904
 Other matters closely affecting tn, rights of neutrals are:, The distinction to be made between absolute and con ditional contraband of war and the In vlolability of the official and privat correspondence of neutrals.
 "As for the duties of neutrals towar, the belligerents, the field is scarcel less broad. One aspect deserves men l ton. from the prominence it has ac quired during recent times namely the treatment due to a refugee beilig | erent ship in neutral ports.
 Tt may also be desirable to consid CT and adopt a procedure by whicl states non-signatory to the origina acts of The Hague conference ma, become adhering parties.
 You will explain to his exceiiencN ! the Minister of Foreign Affairs. tha | the present overture for q second con l ference to complete the postpone e. work or the nrst conference, Is not de signed to supersede other calls for tn consideration of special topics, such a the proposition of the government O The Netherlands recently Issued. to as semble for the purpose of amendint the provisions of the existing Hagu 1 convention with respect to hospita ships. Like all tentative convention that one Is open to change in the High of personal experience and the fulies deliberation is desirable to that end.
 Finally you win state the Presi dents desire and hope that the undy ing memories which cling around Tn Hague as the cradle of the beneficlen work which had its beginning in 1898 may ehe strengthened by holding tn, second peace conference in that his toric city.
 T am, sir, your obedient servant. John Hay"