The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-07-06
GIVEN OVER TO
DISCUSSION OF
PROPOSITION
PRESENTED by AMERICA Al
THE HAGUE CONFERENCE
AMERICAN PROPOSITION.
SAFEGUARD PRIVATE PROPERTY
Brazil's Adhesion to American
Principle Had Strings
Attached.

tire afternoon sitting of the commit
teen on the Geneva convention was
given over to discussion of the
American proposition presented by
Joseph Choate on June "a, regarding
the inviolability of private property
The convention sat under the presi-
dency of Prof. De Martens. NJ Neli-
dof (Russian). president of the CON
ference, was present. Joseph H.
Choate, General Horace Porter, IT,
M. Rose and VIM. I. Buhanan, OF
the American delegation, and David
j. Hill, American minister TO The
Netherlands, were in attendance. The
American proposition is as follows:
The private property of all citi-
zens of signatory powers, with the
exception of contraband of war, shall
be exempt on the high seas. or else
where, from capture or seizure by
the armed vessels or military of the
said powers.
Nothing in this rule implies in
any way the inviolability of vessels
which will attempt to enter a port
blockaded by the naval forces of said
powers, nor of the cargo of said ves-
sels
w. II. Debaufert (Holland), stat
ed that the Dutch government advo-
Gated the American principle.
Barbosa (BraZil) delivered a long
speech in which he explained that the
statement made by him on June 2S
had been wrongly interpreted as an
unconditional adhesion TO the Ameri-
can principle. He wished to make ii
clear that Brazil was not a catspaw
of America, but that she supported
the American principle for the rea-
son that the capture never brought
victory to any one.
Sir Ernest Satow then made q dee
laration on behalf of Great Britain.
He said he realized the serious char
acter of the arguments in favor OF
the inviolability of private property
on the high seas, but their discus
sion shows the logical tendency to-
ward abolition of the commercial
blockade. Sir Ernest demonstrated
to what an extent the limitation of
bockades would complicate matters
ana create new causes of dispute as
a result of which the discussion be-
tween belligerents would give rise to
fresh irritation, which might tend to
prolong the war instead of shorten
ing it. The inviolability of property
and the limitation of blockades are
inseparable questions. What Great
Britain thinks necessary is respect
for the interests of neutrals; that is
why she proposed the abolition of
contraband, said Sir Ernest.
Baron MarschaIl Won Bieberstein
Germany began his remarks by
setting forth that Germany never
had been in favor of the capture OF
private property at sea, and conse-
quently Mr.. Choate's idea would GER
tainly find sympathizer in Germa-
ny, but regarding the categorical
question of abolishing the right of
capture, this seemed to him to be
closely allied with two other ques-
tiOns, namely, that of cOntraband
and the violation of a blockade, two
questions which would have at once
to be defined, as otherwise any proc
lamation of the immunity of private
property would be in vain and the
actual system of today would remain
in force. Germany would be ready
to collaborate in the protection OF
private property at sea, but on con-
dition that the question to make this
protection effcacious, be first eluci-
dated.
M. r. Charykoff, in his turn, de-
clared the Russian delegation had
profound respect for the ideas set
forth by Mr.. Choate, which so credit
ably represented the traditions of
the United States, but they did not
think the question was yet ripe for
solution.
Much preparatory judicial work
was necessary to reach a general un
derstanding of this matter and the
Russian delegation did not believe
the conference would succeed in ad
vancing the question from its present
status.
DR.. Hagerup then voiced the ad
herence of Norway to the American
doctrine. He referred to the import
ant commercial interests of Norway
at sea, and said his country, although
small in area, was surpassed in the
matter of maritime commerce by on
ly a few other nations. Norway will
vote for the American proposition
that the question of contraband be
examined.
The Portuguese delegation sub
scribed to the statement made by
the German delegations expressing
the belief that 1t is first to solve the
questions of blockade and contra
band.