Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-06
TALKS
Of AMERICAN PLAN
DISCUSSES RIGHT OF PRIVATE
PROPERTY
Exception Does Not Apply to Vessels
Attempting to Run BIockades.
Great Britain objects to
Proposition
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
THE HAGUE, July 5.-The entire aft
ernoon sitting of the committee of the
Geneva convention was given over to
discussion of the American PROPOSE
tion, presented by Joseph II. Choate
on June a. regarding the inviolability
of private property on the high seas.
The committee sat under the presidency
of President de Martens. M. Nelidoff
(Russian), president of the conference,
was present. Joseph Choate, Gen. Hor-
ace Porter, U. M. Rose and William
1. Buchanan of the American delega-
ton and David J. Hill, American min
lister to the Netherlands, were in at
tendance.
The American proposition is as fol-
lows:
The private property of all citizens
of all signatory powers, with the ex-
ception of contraband of war, shall be
exempt on the high seas or elsewhere
| from capture or seizure by the armed
vessels or military forces of said pow
ers. Nothing IN this rule implies In
any way the inviolabflity of vessels
which will attempt to enter port
blockaded by the naval forces of said
powers, nor of the cargo of said Ves-
sells.
Briton objects
Sir Ernest Satow, on behalf of Great
Britain said he realized the serious
character of the arguments in favor or
the inviolability of private property
on the high seas, but the discussion
showed the evidence and logical ten
dency toward abolition of the CONNER
cial blockade.
Sir Ernest demonstrated to what an
extent the limitation of blockades
would complicate matters and create
new causes of dispute. as a result of
which the dispute between belligerents
would give rise to fresh irritation,
which must tend to prolong the war IN
stead of shortening 1t. The inviolabil-
ity of property and the limitation OF
blockades are inseparable questions, the
English representative continued, and
Great Britain for the moment does not
find the movement toward the ideal
aim, namely, the abolition of war, suf-
fciently accentuated to be able to as
sociate herself with the American doc
trine.
"What Great Britain thinks necessary
Is respect for the interests of neu-
trails; that is why she proposed the abo-
lition of contraband," said Sir Ernest.
Germany in Favor
Baron Marschcall Won Beiberstein
Germany set forth that Germany
never had been in favor of the capture
of private property at sea, and conse-
ouently Mr. Choate's idea would GER
tainly find sympathetic echo through
out Germany. But regarding the cate
gorical question of abolishing the right
of capture, this seemed to MIN to be
closely allied with two other questions,
namely, that of contraband and the vio-
lation of a blockade, two questions
which would have at once to be de.
fined as otherwise the proclamation of
the immunity of the private property
would be in vain and the actual sys-
tenn of today would remain in force.
M. Tcharykoff declared the Russian
delegation had profound respect for the
ideas set forth by, Mr.. Choate, which
so creditably represented the traditions
of the United States. but they did not
think the question was yet ripe for
solution.