New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-18
A NEW PEACE CONGRESS.
HosU a Referee Can Bring about
Protectordte of Commerce.

zos - so-,a n the wisest English COM
yosr+sto~s on the events 81 a marvellous week
The second congress may fairly be inferred from
.na original proposal for It. which was favor
ably received by all powers save one, ana
merely deferred 70 more convenient season
~ Russia on account Of the war It becomes
,7svf-abIe. in the opinion Of well informed writ
.S when the President is swayed by moral re-
.-o,sfhiIi,v He commands the confidence Of
r. --o-I7 and is in a position initiate new
,--e-1a+tonal movement in the direction Of "a
..,,a- neace To a unique personality IS now
,5-a4 he prestige from success in peacernak-
- bich he alone could have achieved When
- freight Of his influence over foreign SOW
.-s,grs and governments is so overwhelming he
-, have 4 grave sense Of responsibility and
- he likely to allow a great opportunity TO
se 7 viii not he because there is an oppor-
-. o,enirg for American leadership and for
.---easfnC the power and prestige Of the Wash
s-o7 government. It viii be because useful
ri, os- he done IN the interest Of humanity.
80 h. cg7 open the way for It by renewing
- Invitations 70 4 second peace congress,
vz-,a- The summons COMES. no government will
ventura n decline the call The millennium
80 "a 4 long way off. bur faith in the moral
o-5ar ~ the world is increasing. An invitation
r-o-, Washington TO & second Parliament OF
Man" will have exceptional dignity and moral
- assume the responsibility Of refusing to send
6areqe-As 70 it, OF 70 offer resistance TO an en-
rferrened movement for minimizing the evils Of
var
Americans are IN the habit Of succeeding With
,-e,- undertakings because they value practical
.s-,l-s more than the prestige gained in &C
,o-,,r1fs7i7e their ends They saved the first
raa-e congress from failure by introducing
new motive The Cars scheme was disarma-
-7eu- and nothing could be done with il The
American delegates suggested q permanent ar
bi-rs-fnr court. and with the help Of their Brit
,zb associates secured its establishment What
fresh york is there for another congress? There
cannot be any revival Of the Cars visionary
7sr for disarmament by international agree
-,e7- and there is no Immediate necessity for
amending the procedure Of the court Of arbitra-
Hon In all civilized countries there is a grow
ing sentiment in favor Of the maintenance OF
peace by international agencies; but govern
rner-s are not prepared to reduce their arr1a-
-7en-s or TO consent n any arrangements Ior
making arbitration compulsory and automatic,
There cannot be much doubt that measures for
th= prevention Of war have been carried as far
- * practicable 81 present There must be
new motive for the second Hague congress. or
thare will he no practical results 10 redeem it
from the rep-oach OF being miscalculated fall
u-e This motive can readily he supplied by
recent maritime experience during the war IN
-ba Far East The open door principle comes
out Of that struggle indicated and unlnpalreo-
At open sea for neutral commerce and private
property under any flag may he me seQuei 70
second peace congress
The world may not he ready FOR II. but i has
much 70 gain from the limitation of maritime
warfare 70 conflicts between vessels Of var
When the resources Of diplomacy and arhitra-
tion have been exhausted. war ought to be re-
s--+-+A4 70 the armies on land and the fleets at
zAa md the commerce Of the world allowed TO
"a on with as little disturbance as possible
without the pavnent Of eEorbirant premiums
n underwriters or the proceedings Of prize
courts as Irresponsible as the raids Of prt-
vsreerz once we're. or abuses Of the right Of
search either within the actual circle Of hos
tifries or thousands Of miles away from it.
During the Russian-Japanese var nothing has
been gained hv either beIigereHt from naval
opera tons Of this sort and serious risks Of
drawing other nations into conflict have been
taken L Is equally certain that in any future
var between maritime powers The dangers Of
International complications win he multiplied
by The interruption Of neutral commerce If
England and Germany are ever involved in that
contest for sea power Of which there is nov so
much idle talk on each side. neither America nor
France. with their navies. can be expected 70
rernar idle specta tors Of warfon and destructive
raids anon their commerce and carrying trade
Naval r7artluA1s may contend with shrin en-
r,7azis that maritime powers with mighty fleets
must never consent to any restrictions of belltg
-erent rights on blue water or 10 any limitations
Of the fna1fena Ole privilege Of harassng
enemy. but every wary dtplomatist knows that
The time has passed when the commerce. Of the
world can be irnperiIled in this way. The dtplo-
macy Of wartime would be greatly sinplifed
md the resources Of belIigereuts increased
rather Than diminished by the broadest meas
l,-es for the protection Of commerce and the re-
sr-frrfon Of naval operations TO contests between
lighting ships
Neutral commerce certainly needs 4 greater
degree Of security than il now has under the
Declaration Of Paris. That protectorate can be
readily evaded by arbitrary cIasst1cations of
contranand and by Admiralty instructions to
naval commanders and prize courts. What is
required Is an authoritative definition Of con-
1raband which viii be accepted by all maritime
powers and recognized in the Admiralty prac-
tee Of al nations II new peace congress
could supply q definition of that kind II would
render : service Of fnestimsble value 70 com
rrerciaI interests a revival also Of the Amer
fcan proposal for exempting private property
mot Contra band) from seizure or Confscation
under arv flag would secure the support at
once Of all the minor maritime powers, and
President Roosevelt's influence and prestige
might carry the adhesion Of Germany, France.
England and italy 70 a broad principle. which
would take the worlds commerce entirely be
yond the risks OF war A safeguard 50 com
prehensive as this would limit naval operations