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

Its Consideration The Hasue-"hen
Is Called For7


exceed seven thousand men, all told, whereas
more than twenty-five thousand succumned
after the surrender to disease and privation
while in German captivity. The japanese IN
tend to submit to the congress a proposal that
prisoners of war should be henceforth handed
back to their own countrymen en- masse
with the understanding that they would
not be permitted to bear arms again, either
against the enemy against his allies during
the remainder of the conflict, and that they
should be informed by their own government in
districts appointed for the purpose. under such
supervision that it would be impossible for
them. either singly collectively, to take any
further part in the without the entire world
being made cognizant of this breach OF faith
In short the idea of the Japanese seems to be
to extend to the rank and file Of the army the
prerogatives Of parole restricted to COM
missoned officers These are among the points
Immediately relating to the war that are to be
submitted to the consideration of the Congress
by wellnigh universal consent
With reference to those other and more i'm
portant issues mentioned above calculated to
avert war, rather than to direct its procedure
when once declared, there will be- of course, no
little opposition manifested by the parties inter-
ested to submit their differences to the consid-
GRAFTON of the congress. Indeed. it has been
pei minor powers to submit their disputes to
international arbitration, either by the tribunal
of The Hague or by an international peace con-
gress, it would be mira dig. for any great power
to resort to such methods of settling conflicts
that might otherwise result in war. Thus, it ia
certain that strenuous objection will be made
to any attempt by Russia 10 obtain from the
congress international sanction to the repeal of
that humiliating clause of the so-called Black
Sea treaty of 1866. which prohibits her from
sending any of her warships through the OAR
danelles. The idea that government bank
rupt politically. financially and in reputation as
Turkey should have it in its power to close a
waterway such as the Dardanelles to the
warships Of Russia, to which it is still in
debted for almost the full amount of the
indemnity imposed upon her by the Congress
Of Berlin of 1878 is preposterous and in the
eyes Of many statesmen even in England has
ceased to be tenable proposition. The great
powers have neutralized the Suez Canal, de-
claring it to be international waterway open
to all. and have forbidden the construction of
any kind of Notifications along its course and
an effort will undoubtedly be made by Russia
probably in conjunction with Germany and
France. to secure from the congress an agree
ment for the naturalization of the Dardanelles
on the same lines those of the Suez Canal
declaring 1t to be an international waterway
open to all, and compelling Turkey to raze those
defences and Notifications with which she has
lined her shores on either side Of the strait
from one end to the other. England would Of
course prefer to maintain the Treaty of Paris
unimpaired, since the removal of the restric-
tons concerning the passage of warships
through the Dardanelles will nave the effect
of vastly increasing Russias power in the Medi-
terranean. But still she may find it polite to
yield, in the hope that the concession and free
access to the Mediterranean will lead Russia to
desst for time from her agitation for the
acquisition of a seaport on the Atlantic just
across her Finnish border in Norway
Emperor William would undoubtedly like to
submit to the peace congress his controversy
with France on the subject of Morocco, scheme
which would probably meet with the disap-
proval Of the latter power, as well as of Eng
land and Spain. The chaotic condition Of Crete
calls for the immediate and earnest considera-
ton of the great powers, which some seven or
eight years ago assumed the responsibility for
the administration Of this turbulent island, the
inhabitants of which, nominally subject to the
Sultan, clamoring for annexation to Greece
Possibly the dispute between Sweden and Nor
way may have been settled ere the congress
meets. Otherwise it might be of advantage to
submit 1t to the plenipotentiaries for arbitra-
ton. The main difficulty that stands in the
way Of a settlement between the two sister ma
tons is the fear entertained by Sweden lest
Norway should, either voluntarily by COM
pulsion, make such arrangements with Russia
would endanger the safety Of Sweden and
place her at the mercy Of the Car. Russia has
for years been endeavoring to secure a pre-
dominant influence in Norway, and has pur-
posely fostered the 1atter's I'll will toward
Sweden. in the hope of obtaining sooner or later
one or more of the Atlantic ports in Northern
Norway, Of which ports indeed is within
thirty miles of the present northern terminus
Of the Russian trunk line through Finland. The
Balkan States. in Southeastern Europe, and the
Christian provinces Of the Ottoman Empire like
wise call for the attention of an international
congress.
In word leaving aside ASIA where peace
is virtually guaranteed for many years to come
by England's treaty with Japan for the main
secret treaty with the Kaiser. which is their
response to the Anglo-Japanese alliance there
are plenty OF urgent issues in Europe calling
for immediate settlement in order to insure that
peace which is after all. to be the main object
and chief aim Of the next peace congress.