The Washington herald., 1907-07-21

nitted 10 the congress they would raise
the question OF the temporal sovereignty
Of the prisoner Of the Vatican. presented
an uitimatum to the effect that she
would take no part in the congress il
the papacy was invited Emperor Nicho-
las and other organizers OF the first
congress realized that the cooperation
OF Italy as a great power In the con-
gress was indispensable TO its success,
and, therefore. complying with her de-
mands, closed the door In the face Of
the Vatican. Leo XIII 5Was so angry about
the matter that he withdrew his resi-
dent envoy, or internuncio, from The
Hague. Plus x has not seen 1T to re-
establish diplomatic relations with the
Dutch court, and, this being the case.
the Netherlands government had a good
excuse TO refrain from inviting the papa
cy TO take part In the present congress.
Like the Vatican. the sublime porte
ayails Itself Of every opportunity 10 en-
powers Of Europe the story OF its
wrongs with g view to their redress. Its
principal subject for complaint Is the
presence Of the English in Egypt which
is, theoretically, an Ottoman province.
and part and parcel OF the d0minions OF
the Sultan-at least in Turkish eyes. Il
is unnecessary TO refer here 10 the COM
biDation OF circumstances which led 10
the bombardment OF Alexandra. and to
the military occupation Of the land Of the
Nile by Great Britain In 1852. which has
now subsisted for Just a quarter OF a
century. England has retoTed order and
prosperity to Egypt; she has emancipated
the population from the cruel tyranny and
from the grinding slavery 10 which they
were subjected
She has exercised her power there, not
In any selfish manner, but for the benefit
OF civilization and Of international trade
Offering 10 the industries of the entire
world identically the same economic ad-
yantages as she herself enjoys in Egypt.
With ali that. her occupation Of that pOr-
ton of Africa is an act Of might rather
than Of right, and her retention Of the
Kheddiviate under de facto. though not
de jure. protectOTate, IS distinctly a case
Of force ma1eure." Could the Sultan
succeed in bringing the matter before a
congress Of the powers, and d-mand arbi-
tration on the basis OF the strict princi-
pies Of international law, England would
experience difficulty in defending her posi-
ton That explains why the Commander
OF the Faithful Is so anxious to submit
the Egyptian question to gatherings such
as that now assembled at The Hague.
and why Great Britain is so strongly
opposed TO the project.
Within the last two or three weeks We
have seen emissaries Of the Emperor Of
Korea in the Dutch capital visiting the
various foreign missions. taking part in
the congress, with the object OF bringing
their sovereign's oppression by the MI
kado before that body. He objects 70 the
presence Of the japanese in his dou1in-
ions. insists that they have violated every
doctrine OF international law and every
treaty right In the manner by means OF
which they have obtained complete ad-
ministTatiye and economic control Of his
country. reducing him to the status Of a
mere puppet.
He declares that the position OF the
japanese at Seoul is infinitely more inGe-
fensible than that Of the English at Cairo.
and clamOrs for justice at tie hands OF
The Hague congress. None Of the powers
represented in the Dutch capital seem.
however. disposed TO offend the Land Of
the Rising Sun by undertaking the cham
pionship Of the Hermit Nation. Many Of
the foreign delegates have refused 10 hold
any intercourse with the Koreans, while
others, in according 10 them guarded in
terviews, have intimated the impOssibillty
of doing anything for them. In fact. the
Korean mission has met with complete
failure. and its only result is likely 10
be that the japanese viii now proceed TO
depOse the Korean monarch for having
ventured 10 appeal 70 the foreign powers
against them.
OF course. II the Koreans had been al
lowed to bring their wrongs before the
congress. II is quite possible that the
Cubans might have followed suit; per-
haps. too. the Filipinos, claiming that,
although denied independence and sub
tected 70 American rule, they are, never
theless. treated economically as foreign
countries. and subjected 10 all the hard
ships Of the American taliff.
The interests Of peace would undoubted-
ly have been served could the proposal 10
neutralize the Baltic and the straits Lead
ing into it from the North Sea have beef
brought before the congress Of The Hague
and voted by that body. For II the prin,
ciples tha. are in force in the case OF thG
DaTdanelles and the Black Sea were ap-
piled 70 the Baltic, and 10 the Danish
SOund-if the passage between Helsingborg
and ElsimOTe were placed on the same
international status as the Suez Canal
then Denmark could dismantle her elab-
crate defenses at Kronberg, and could
devote the money which she is now
0r1 f7nr- &c F,rrT
useful purposes. Russia, Sweden, and
Germany, too, relieved OF any further
anxiety with regard 10 the defense Of
their shipping in the Baltic. and Of their
towns and cities along its coasts, would
be able 70 inaugurate that reduction of
armaments which was supposed, when
the present congress was first mooted. to
be the principal object Of that gathering
We're the congress Of The Hague, how
ever. to open its doors 10 appeals Of this
nature, there is no knowing where It
would find it possible 10 draw the line.
Cyprus might apply to the congress TO
secure her annexation 10 the Kingdom Of
Greece. which the entire population OF
the island demands, but which is op-
posed not only by Turkey, but also by
Russia, who are unwilling to increase the
power or prestige OF the Hellenic king
dom in the Mediterranean. Macedonia
might also petition for independence, Ire
land for home rule, Finland for restora-
tion of the autonomy guaranteed TO her
by every emperor Of Russia since Alex
ander I at his coronation; while Hun
gary might insist upon a review OF her
relations with Austria. and upon a re-
matte Sanction, -pOn which her union
with Austria is based, and which Francis
Kossuth and other members Of the na-
tional government at Budapest declare
is either a myth or, at best. a fogery,
In fsct there would he no end IN the prOb-