Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-05
REPLIES OF THE POWERS
QUESTIONS TO BE DISCUSSED BY
THE HAGUE CONFERENCE.


The Hague conference is follows:
The undersigned ambas sador of Russia,
by order of his government, has the honor
to make the following communicat ton to his
excellency the Secretary of State of the
United States:
Before the second peace conference is
called the imperial government deems it
an obligation to submit to the powers which
have accepted its invitation a statement of
the present situation.
"All the powers to which the imperial
government communicated In April, 1906,
Its tentative program of the labor of the
conference have declared their adher-
ence thereto.
However, the following remarks have
been made with respect to that program:
The government of the United States has
reserved to itself the liberty of submitting
to the second conference two additional
questions viz: that of the reduction or
limitation of ornaments and that of bring
ing about an agreement to observe certain
limitations in the use of force in collecting
ordinary public debts accrulng from con-
tracts.
The Spanish government has expressed
a desire TO discuss the limitation of arma-
ments. reserving to itself the rights to deal
with this question at the next meeting Of
The Hague.
Great Britain's Reservation.
THE British government has given notice
that it attaches great Importance to hav-
ing the question of expenditures for arma-
ment discussed at the conference, and has
reserved to itself the right of raising it. 1t
ments reserving to itself the right to deal
ing no part in the discussion of any ques-
ton mentioned in the Russian program
which would be unlikely to produce any
useful result to 1t.
Japan is of opinion that certain ques-
lions that are not especially enumerated
In the might be conveniently in
Guided among the subjects for consdera-
ton, and reserves to itself the right to take
part in or withdraw from any discussion
taking or tending to take trend which, in
it's judgment, would not be conducive to
any useful result.
The governments of Bolivia, Denmark.
Greece and the Netherlands have also re-
served to themselves, in a general way,
the right to submit to the consideration of
the conference other subjects similar to
those that are explicitly mentioned in the
Russian program.
THE imperial government deems it it's
duty to declare, for its part that 1t MAIN
tains its program of the month of April.
1905. the basis for the deliberations of
the conference, and that if the conference
should breach a discussion that would APP
pear to it unlikely to end in any practical
issue it reserves to itself, in its turn, the
right to take no part in such a discussion.
Remarks similar to this last have been
made by the German and Austro- Hunga-
rian governments, which have likewise re-
served to themselves the right to take no
part in the discussion by the conference of
any question which would appear unlikely
to end in any practical issue
In bringing these reservations to tho
knowledge of the powers, and with the
hope that the 1abors of the second peace
the good understanding of the nations of
the civilized world. the imperial govern
ment has addressed to the government of
the Netherlands a request that 1t may be
pleased to call the conference for the first
days of June"
The Original Program
The original program which the ambas-
sador refers to was presented to the pow
ers April II last year and received the
assent of all of the contracting parties to
the original Hague convention. The points
proposed in that program were as fol-
lows:
l. improvements to be made in the pro-
visions of the convention relative to the
peaceful settlement of international dis
putes as regards the court of arbitration
and the international commission of in
Quiry.
2. Additions to be made to the provisions
of the convention of 1899 relative to the
laws and customs of war on land-among
others, those concerning the opening of
hostilites, the rights of neutrals on land,
etc. Declarations of 1899. One of these
having expired question of its being re-
vived.
3. Framing of convention relative to
the laws and customs Of maritime war
fare, concerning
The special operations of maritime war
fare such as the bombardment of ports,
cities and villages by a naval force; the
laying of torpedoes. etc.
The transformation of merchant vessels
into warships.
The private property of belligerents at
sea.
The length of time to be granted to mer-
chant ships for their departure from ports
of neutrals or of the enemy after the open
ing of hostilities.
The rights and duties of neutrals at sea,
among others the question of contraband,
the rules applicable to belligerent vessels
in neutral ports; destruction in cases of Wis
major of neutral merchant vessels captured
as prizes.
In the said convention to be drafted
there would be introduced the provisions
relative to war on land that would be also
applicable to maritime warfare
4. Additions to be made to the convention
Of 1899 for the adaptation to maritime
warfare of the principles of the Geneva
convention of 1864.