The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-06-15
LIMITED ARMAMENT
FAR FROM PLEASING
Powers of Europe Said to
FroWn Upon This Propo-
sition Toward Peace.
FORECAST ON CONGRESS.
GATHERING LOOKING TOWARD
PEACE OPEN AT THE HAGUE
NATIONS ALMOST A UNIT ON
REVISION OF WARFARE RULES.

Washington. June 15.-The attitude
of the various great powers as they en-
ter The Hague Congress today has now
been made clear by official exchangeS
from the various capitals. This per-
mits practically exact forecast to be
made of the course which the congress
will adopt on important subjects.
Limitation of Armaments-On this
subject the position of the powers is as
follows:
Favorable to Limitation-Grea Brit
ain, United States. Spain, Portugal.
Norway and the South and Central
American countries cooperating
with the United States.
Opposed to Limitation-Ge Germany,
Austria, Russia, whose petition is def
mite and final; Italy. which favors
limitation in principle, but is con-
strained by the triple alliance to act
with Germany and Austria; France,
which regards limitation as chimeric-
al and inexpedient, owing to the
strength of German armament.
Europe Opposes Limitation.
This shows that all of the great pow
ers of continental Europe are opposed
to the limitation of ornaments. The
strength of the proposition there
fore. depends upon Great Britain and
the United States with the minor pow
ers which each of them influences On
a vote the proposition of limiting ar
maments would probably obtain a nu-
merical majority, owing mainly to the
large voting strength of the combined
Americans. But unanimity is essen
tial to make such a proposition effect
i've. 1t seems apparent, therefore,
that the project is not likely to be
adopted in any definite form
The attitude of Japan is somewhat
Indefinite. The Japanese alliance
with England will naturally incline
Japan to cooperate with her ally But
Japanese policy tends toward increase
instead of limitation of her arma-
ment.
Extension of Arbitration-The pow
ers are. more generally favorable to
extending the scope of arbitration.
Russia, France and Italy are strongly
favorable to it. This places three of
the great continental powers of Eu-
rope in cooperation with Great Brit
ain and the United States, while the
and Central America also favor en-
larged powers of arbitration.
Favor Arbitration Extension.
The position of Germany and Aus
tria is not favorable to extending ar
bitration beyond the formula adopted
at the last Hague conference, as it is
maintained that further extension will
infringe upon national sovereignty.
This, however, has not yet developed
into a strong opposition.
On a vote the extension of arbitra-
tion will doubtless command so large
a majority that some definite adj
vance is to be expected.
The nations are practically unani-
nous in favoring the revision of the
rules of warfare. Russia and Japan
will take an active part in this discus
sion, based on experience in the last
war. The United States propositions
as to a declaration of war preceding
hostilities, limiting the seizure of pri-
vate property at sea, restricting con-
traband, etc. will have the active
support of Germany and most of the
other maritime powers.
The British delegates will oppose
some of these propositions. This is
notably true as to limiting tie seizure
of private property at sea, as such
limitation would diminish the effec-
tiveness of the British navy. Russia,
Germany and the United States will
be practically united in favoring a
definite list of articles to be treated
as contraband There is similar I'M
animity in limiting the zone of sub
marine mines and excluding them
from ocean highways.