The San Francisco call., 1906-04-04
CALLED
10 THE HAGUE.
Gar Proposes That
Session Be Held
in Summer.
Baron Rosen Brings
Official Word
to Root.

WASHINGTON, April 3.-Unexpected-
ly the Russian Government today made
another movement toward the recon-
Vening of The Hague conference when
Baron Rosen, the Russian Emba ssador,
presented to Secretary Root q proposal
for the reconvention of the conference
at The Hague early In the coming sum
mer, and indicated that the Netherlands
Government had assented TO the pro-
posal. 1t had been supposed that owing
to the complexity of the problems in
VOWED In the arrangement of even a
tentative programme for the confer
ence and the delays caused by the ne
cessity of persuading the Swiss Gov
eminent to make the time and pro-
gramme for the approaching Red Cross
convention conform as far as possible
to The Hague project, it would scarcely
be possible for the conference to as
semble earlier than a late date next
fall. There were seasonable objections.
however. to such date, and it was
1ntimated that it might be necessary to
defer the convention until next year
The matter had been left In large
part to the Governments of Russia and
the Netherlands to adjust the first
named because the proposal for the
conference had originated with EN-
peror Nicholas and the latter for the
reason that the host should be con-
suited when it concerned a. matter of
dates for the conference
The fact that they have agreed makes
It probable that the other signatory
powers to the original Hague Conven-
tion, which accepted the invitation to
attend the next conference, will agree
to the proposed date, although the
snort period of time available will make
1t necessary for some of the powers
crix
the subject recently, to do some rapid
diplomatic work in order to arrange
programmes according to their own de-
sires, for it is certain that the pro-
posed Russian programme as conveyed
to the State Department today by
Baron Rosen will, while not meeting
positive objections, at least call forth
some projects differing materially in
scope and detail from the Russian plan
A casual review of the proposal dis
closes nothing that is calculated to
arouse opposition on the part of the
United States Government but unless
the Algeciras conference has materic lily
modified the views of certain of the
European great powers, there is dis
inclination to enter into any engage
ments that would further restrict the
independence of action of a power in
international matters.
programme is regarded as tending
toward the restriction in that it makes
1t easier for powers to engage in me-
diation or arbitration and in conse-
quence enables majority of the
powers to force a settlement upon one
of their number when It would much
rather use sterner diplomatic measures
and even proceed to the verge of forcf-
bic compulsion. Several of the Russian
proposals are really in substance the
same as those proposed by The Hague
conference itself as proper for consid-
Grafton by another conference but
there is suggestion of the last great
war in the reference to regulation for
open hostilities." for the Russians have
never admitted the legality in interna-
tional law of the Japanese attack upon
the Russian warships in Chemulpo har-.
Dor and at Port Arthur, without, it was
asserted, due notice
The suggestion relative to the rec
ognition of private property rights in
shipping and cargo will find ready sec
onding by the State Department, for
this Government has been foremost in
advocating this for MANY years