New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-24

mouth, NJ H. it must be matter Of regret
to all those who have the interests OF peace sin
cerely at heart that the forthcoming interna-
tionai congress which he initiated g year ago,
and for which the Gear is now issuing invita-
tons should be held at The Hague, instead or at
Washington or somewhere in this country
within the reach of the influence exercised by his
forceful personality. At the last peace congress,
&C The Hague in 1899 the principal object OF
several OF the powers represented seemed to be
10 prevent the consideration of certain subjects
which they feared might develop into Obligations
of a nature to handicap them in their next con-
lict with their neighbor. Indeed, 1t is no eXag-
geratlon TO assert that the chief preoccupauon
OF the plenipotentiaries not disarmament
the maintenance Of peace, but the avoidance
Of every engagement and pledge that might in
terfere with the free OF all known methods
Of warfare in the event Of a conflict To such
an extent was this realized at the time that
many OF the comic papers. both in America and
Europe, published cartoons showing the various
rulers OF the nations represented at the con-
gress at The Hague all seated at a table dis
cussing peace while secretly sharpening their
knives and examining the firing mechanism Of
their revolvers Under the circumstances 1t is per-
haps altogether surprising hat many OF the main
objects which the well intentioned Emperor OF
Russia had in view when he first suggested the
congress should have been frustrated. and that
It's Termination was followed almost Immediately
by EnElands war with the Beers in South
Africa by the international expedition to CHINA,
Illuminating in the taking Of Picking, and by
Russias war with Japan, not to speak OF Great
Britain's minor campaigns in Sonaliland and
that OF Germany in Western Africa. remern-
her that in one of these articles. written imme-
diately prior to the meeting of the congress at
The Hague in 1899, I called attention to the
fact that most of the previous international coz
terences of the same nature had been followed by
xsrs and expressed the hope that this one would
nifrer therein from its predecessors. But doubt
II any one at that moment realized the full ex-
tent OF the insncerity with which most govern
raents dispatched their representatives to The
Hague under the pretence Of devising means for
The promotion and maintenance OF peace.
while every nation has been sobered, so to
speak by the appalling waste Of life and or
treasure and by the incalculable and frreparaple
injury to the development Of the trade and IN
6ustry OF the world wrought by these wars III
South Africa and in Eastern Asia, and VIII
therefore appear at the next congress Of The
Hague more earnest in its anxiety to prevent
the revival of such sanguinary struggles, yet
there is no doubt that unless the congress is
dominated by some individuality, such as that
az President Roosevelt, whose sincerity and I'M
3artiality are above suspicion, and who is pos
sessed of sufficient prestige and forcefulness OF
character to compel the delegates and the gov
srnments which they represent 20 work Loyalty
in the cause of peace. at the risk of being held
IN TO the obloquy Of the civilized universe. the
eading issues will be shirked, and the hasco
Of the new congress will be almost as complete
as that of 1899 The best that be said Of
the latter is that, thanks to America and Great
Britain, it strengthened the principle Of inter-
national arbitration by the establishment of an
international tribunal at The Hague, to which
some minor issues have been referred, but Which
has proved powerless to avert either the South
African or the Russo-Japanese war. That is
w-hv it should be of such inestimable advantage
IN the cause of peace If the forthcoming con-
eress initiated by President Roosevelt, and of
which he first made mention in his address to
the Interparliamentary Union at the White
House exactly year ago, were to be held I'M
der his immediate auspices at Washington,
rather than at The Hague. It would have the
effect of satisfying the world as to the good
faith OF the assemblage, which might otherwise
be regarded considering the past, with certain
amount of skepticism.
There are a whole host of questions OF the
sravest import awaiting the consideration of a
congress of this kind, and which, if solved
would contribute even than treaties Of de-
fence or Of offence TO the preservation Of peace.
They are questions not merely relating to the
rules of warfare, TO the character of contraband
wise to issues of much greater and more i'm
mediate importance-ssues the settlement of
which means the prevention OF any armed con-
Gict between the parties at variance. For surely
the object OF peace congress is rather to avert
than to devise rules and regulations for its
conduct after it has been started.
Among the problems directly relating to war,
and which will undoubtedly command the atten-
ton Of the congress-. is the question as to the
right Of belligerents to lay mines the open
in waters used by neutral shipping. Both
the Russians and the Japanese in their recent
war guilty OF this act, which has been
made the subject of widespread condemnation,
among others by the we'll known naval writer
Admiral de Horsey, in remarkable letter ad-
dressed to THE London Times" Another ques-
fion is that raised by Russia's proclamation Of
coal, provisions and railroad material as con-
trsband of war if bound for Chinese or jap
anese port even If not destined for the Japanese
army or navy. England vigorously protested
against this but without effect. Then there IS
the issue as TO the right of belligerent feet to
coal and effect repairs in neutral ports. claimed
by Russia for her i'll fated Baltic armada on Its
way out from Kronstadt to humiliation IN the
China seas; the right Of a belligerent TO convert
ct sea merchant vessel into !nan-of-war. and
TO commission her as such, demanded by Rus
sIa for her converted cruisers, the St Peters
burg, etc. and the pretension put forward by the
Japanese OF right to attack a belIgerent vessel
In the port Of a neutral power too weak to en-
force the laws of neutrality. Japan, It may be
| remsnabered sank the Russian cruiser Variag
| In the Corean port Of Chemulpo, and seized the
dtsarrned Russian destroyer Ryeshitelni in the
fchfnese port Of Chee-Fop
Besides, there is the problem regarding pris-
80 -var II IS already known that The