Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-06
Representatives Meet to Hear
His Reports.
WORK AT ST. LOUIS
IN BEHALF OF INTERPARLIA.
MENTARY UNION.
All the Money Appropriated for En-
tertainment Of Delegates Was
Not Expended.

Representatives met in the lobby this after
noon at the call of Representative Bar
tholdt of Missouri, president of the Inter-
parliamentary Union, to discuss the plans
of the American group for the meeting Of
the congress in Brussels. Belgium, next
September. Those present were: Represent
tative Bartholdt, chairman; Representative
McCleary of Minnesota, secretary; Repre-
sentatives Henry of Connecticut, Kincafd
of Connecticut, Cassel of Pennsylvania,
Rodenberg of Illinois, Hepburn of Iowa,
Meyer of louisiana Patterson of Penn
sylvania. Brooks of Colorado, Hill of Con-
necticut, Lloyd of Missouri, Spaulding Of
North Dakota, Slayden of Texas, Green OF
Massachusetts, Stevenson of Minnesota,
Graft of Illinois, Thayer of Massachusetts,
Calderhead of Kansas, Gardner of MichI-
gan, Driscoll, Sulzer and Ryan of New
York, Dovenner of West Virginia, Brown OF
Mississippi, McNary of Massachusetts and
Dickson Of Montana.
Mr.. Bartholdt's Report.
Representative Bartholdt made report
to the members present of the visit to the
United States, upon invitation of the
American Congress- of 23O members of ~E1-
ropean parliamentary bodies. He was ap-
plauded when he spoke of the splendid yet
economical manner In which the visitors
had been entertained, and said that Of the
$5O,OO0 appropriated for entertainment 'ex-
penses, $4,000 had not been used and
would be turned back into the treasury.
This small expenditure, Mr.. Bartholdt said,
had been made possible by the courtesy of
the railroads, which furnished locomotives
and the use of their roadways free Of
charge. The printing of official souvenirs
and official reports took up $4,000 of the
appropriation, and, he thought, all things
considered that the affair had been very
carefully managed.
His only disappointment in connection
with 1t, ne said. was that so few members
of Congress had been present at the formal
meetings of the 1nterparllam entary CONFER
ence in ST. Louis.
At similar conferences abroad, he said.
the country in which the meeting is held
is always represented by practically the
entire membership of her parliament and
the visitors had some difficulty in under
standing the fact that only ten members OF
the American Congress were in attendance
at st. Louis. Mr. Bartholdt said he explain
ed to them, however, the great political
battle that was then on. and the necessity
for the American legislators taking an ae-'
tive part in the fight in their respective;
sections of the country.
Work at St. Louis Reviewed.
Mr. Bartholdt then reviewed the work at
ST. Louis and said that the European mem
bers of the congress had gone to their
homes convinced that the cause of inter-
national peace had been materially adj
vanced and confident that In the future
the United States group would be an i'm
portant factor in carrying forward the
great plans of the international body.
Mr. Bartholdt made one statement of
particular interest during the 4coursesof his
remarks, when he asserted that Russia,
the country that had called theA great
peace conference at The Hague, had
been the first to violate the terms Of
the treaty adopted at that time. That
treaty provided, he pointed out. that the
offer of mediation from one neutral gov
eminent to one engaged In war should
not be considered an unfriendly act.
But in the face of this provision of the
treaty to which Russia was sgnatory
power. the cars government. Mr.. Bartholdt
said. had let the United States know very.
plainly that she would consider 81 formal
offer of mediation very unfriendly act.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Bartholdts
statement Representative Hepburn of
Iowa and Representative Slayden OF Texas
spoke briefly. Mr.. Slayden put everybody
in good humor by his statement that the
st. Louis conference had been very
good thing in one way as 1t had SHOWN
a new side of Hepburn's character. He
had been so used to receiving on his side
of the House the solid shot from Colonel
Hepburn's heavy artillery that he didn't
think the latter had any peace sentiment
In his makeup at all. but 1 learned 10
love him at ST. Louis" he said in conclu-
sion.
Resolutions Agreed To.
Resolutions were then offered and agreed
to authorizing Chairman Bartholdt to make
up list of congressional delegates to at
tend the Brussels conference. and that
these delegates should pay their own ex-
penses Another motion directed the
American delegates to present to the inter-
parliamentary conference at that time plans
for an extension of the powers Of The
Hague court, and proposition as to the
basis of representation Of the nations par
ticipating. The meeting then adjourned.
Representative Bartholdt will attend the
meeting of the executive board of the in
terparliamentary union in Brussels in May.
and before that time he will by correspond
ence ascertain what members of Congress
intend to visit Europe this year and who
can be prevailed upon to go as delegates
to the conference.