The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-06-07
THE KAIzER'S
VIEW OF THE
CONFERENCE
Is SATISFIED WIT THE PRELINI-
NARIES OF THE HAGUE
SESSIONS.
FAVORS THE AMERICAN PLAN
Believes Agreement to Extend Peace
full Adjustments of Disputes Will
Bring Best Results.

BERLIN, June 6.-The prelimina-
ries to The Hague conference have
been settled to the satisfaction of the
emperor and the foreign Office and
the meeting is waited with tran
guilty that did not prevail during
March, when some of the powers
were endeavoring to win diplomatic
success over Germany by seeking to
make it appear that Germany alone
was an enemy of peace in wishing to
omit the question of ornaments from
the program.
The Austro-Hungarian and the
Russian governments particularly
have associated themselves with the
German view that the conference may
go further toward eliminating war
by agreements to extend the peaceful
adjustment of disputes than by de-
bates upon the extinction or curtail-
ment of ornaments. The British
government, which was SO active In
pressing for a discussion of arma-
ments, is disposed now, according to
information received in the German
foreign office, to drop the subject I'M
less the American or some other gov
eminent be gotten to introduce 1t.
The emperor's instructions to the
German delegates, should disarma-
ment come to discussion, are not to
take part in the discussion, but to
note the development of the question
and report thereon. Prince Won Bue-
low, speaking in the Reichstag April
Both, said that the government would
take into earnest consideration any
agreements of other powers concern
ing ornaments. The governments
position. on this subject finds general
support in Germany. The socialists
have criticized the government, but
all other parliamentary groups have
approved of it's policy.
The rights of private property at
sea are considered with the related
questions to be the most important
subjects that will be examined. 1t
is assumed that the United States
will follow it's traditional policy of
affirming that private property should
be immune from capture. When the
proposal was made at the first Hague
conference that the United States
would give up the privilege of priva-
teering, providing the conference
would abolish the right of selling
private property, the delegates, ex-
cept those of Great Britain and
France, expressed the hope that a
second conference would consider the
question. The German government,
with certain limitations, Is in SYM
pathy with the American view.
The exemption of private property
would require very precise agree
ments relative to the seizure of car
goes as contraband or in contraven-
ton of blockade that may have
been declared against port in which
the goods were consigned. The dis
closure of the British and the French
positions is awaited with uncommon
interest. Since the abolition in land
warfare of authorized looting, one
of the attractions of war has ceased,
so the prohibition of plundering at
sea would be regarded here as re-
moving one more cause of war. The
German navy, in common with the
nayies of other countries, Is disin-
clined to give up the chance of prize
money, but general political condi-
tions, not service ideas, control the
government attitude. Germany,
like other nations with extensive
commerce, but without a mastery of
the sea, inclines toward limiting the
definition of contraband of war.
Since the previous conference, Rus
STA declared cotton foodstuffs, nap
tina and alcohol to be absolutely con-
traband, position regarded by most
powers as untenable. Germany had
occasion also to protest during the
Boer war against the seizure by Brit
ish ships of the German merchant
men Herzog, General and Bundesrat,
on the supposition that they carried
contraband. The effort of the Ger
man delegates will be to obtain q
definition of contraband so clear that
the subject may be considered as be-
yond the possibility of a dispute In
the future.
The instructions of the German
delegates appear to be in favor OF
agreement not to begin war by a sur
prise, but by formal declaration
with sufficient interval before hos.