The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-05
The New Hague Conference 70 Meet
In july.

of formulating a programme, the second
Hague Conference would not be called
before next autumn or next year. The
Car, however, to whom out Of courtesy
President ROOSEVELT, the original pro-
poser of a second conference, RENTED
the honor of calling it, has decided that
next July would be an opportune time
for meeting, the Morocco conference
being virtually over and the Russian
elections indicating that the Imperial
Duma, which will assemble in May,
will be a truly representative and pro-
gressive body.
There is no ground for doubling that
our Government will regard favorably
most Of the proposals contained in the
tentative programme submitted to Sec
rotary ROOT by Baron RosEN, the Cars
Ambassador. OF the suggested topics
some are obviously fraught with
much interest for Russia by reason
of certain incidents which occurred
in the late war. For example, the
Russian Foreign Office desires that the
conference should define the methods
to be followed hereafter in opening hos
tilities. The Russians asserted, it will
be remembered, that international law
was violated by the Japanese in Feb
ruary, 1904, when without a previous
declaration OF war the Japanese at
tackled Russian war vessels in Chemulpo
Harbor and at Port Arthur. Both Of the
late b~elligerents may be expected to
advocate another feature of Russia's
programme, namely, that the confer
ence shall ~promulgate rules to which
belligerent ships must submit in neutral
ports. 1t will be recalled that the
neutral Powers differed materially in the
recent war. Many Russian war vessels
took refuge in Chinese and American
ports, but the Pekin and Washington
Governments conformed strictly to the
~precedents which had been generally
considered binding. That Is to say, the
vessels were either interned or ordered
to depart after a definite and brief period.
France, on the other hand, permitted
RoJEsTvENsKY'S fleet to remain for
months in Madagascar waters and to
make use of the ports in or near that
island, while subsequently similar privi-
leges were granted for weeks to the
Indo-China.
The Hague Conference may also be
requested to issue an authoritative def
milton of what constitutes contraband
of war. This was a question concerning
which Russia and Japan took divergent
views in the course Of the contest which
ended with the Peace Of Portsmouth.
Is coal contraband under all circum-
stances, or only when consigned to q
besieged fortress or when intended for
the replenishing of the bunkers Of war
ships? Are -four and other food staples
o%ontraband? Undoubtedly provisions
may be seized when destined for a block
AIDED port or an army in the field. The
United States, as England's purveyor,
will wish to restrict very narrowly the
conditions under which food may be
treated as contraband. There is no
doubt, on the other hand, that our Gov
eminent will heartily oncur in another
Russian proposal, namely, that private
property rights in shipping and cargoes
Except as regards contraband of war;
should be recognized by belligerents.
May merchant vessels captured as prizes
be subjected under any circumstances
to destruction? This question was
mooted when one Of the Russian cruisers
that had sailed from Vladivostok blew
up a captured merchant vessel accused
of conveying to the enemy contraband
of war. The Russians held that the de-
~struction of the vessel was due to causes
beyond their control, inasmuch as owing
to the proximity of a Japanese feet it
was impossible for the prize crew to take
the vessel to a Russian port.
The first proposal in the Russian
programme, although in the English
translation it is somewhat vaguely
worded, seems intended to make it
easier for the signatory Powers to bring
about mediation or arbitration between
parties to a dispute, and perhaps to
enable a majority of the Powers to force
upon one of their number, against its
will, q pacific settlement Of a contro-
versy. That is a question as to which
a very strong Power like Germany and
a weak Power like Spain would be apt
to hold dissimilar opinions. The United
States, however, and we trust Great
Britain and France as well, should be
counted upon to advocate any proposal
tending TO the maintenance of the peace
Of the world.
OF course, the second Hague Confer.
! ence would not have been called to meet
early in July unless the date was known
to be acceptable to the Government OF
the Netherlands, which will act as host,
The three intervening months should
suffice for any Government to determine
the position which it means to take con-
corning difficult and complicated cues.
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