The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-21
LACK PROGRESS
 AT THE HAGUE
Notification of Korean Emperor
 is Much Discussed
BRIT0NS DELAY THE WORK
Gen. Horace Porter Makes an Address on Provisions to Captured Belliq- erents Which Meets With
 General Approval.

The Hague, July 20.-The abdication of
 the Emperor of Korea was the general
 topic of conversation among the delegates
 to the peace conference today A majorl-
 ty of them inclined to the belief that even
 if the Emperor had been dethroned It l should be considered an indispensable
 measure to give the Japanese free hand
 in establishing a modern system of de-
 veloping the resources of Korea.
 Vi Sang Sul, formerly premier of Korea,
 who is here with the Korean delegation,
 which was refused recognition by Presi- dent Nelidoff, after reading the Associated | Press dispatch of the abdcation said:
 Tt is another Japanese infamy which
 20, ,0OO GOO Koreans soon will avenge."
 One plenipotentiary who is skeptcal
 about the work of the peace conference,
 observed
 "The abdication of the Emperor is the
 only result yet attained by the confer
 ence." 1 There is some dissatisfaction noticeable
 owing to the lack of progress of the con | ference.
 British Are Backward. I The British delegation, which by us noil- | commital attitude during discussions not only delays the work but tends toward the
 retrogressive on most propositions. General approval is expressed by the
 delegates of the speech of Gen. Horace
 Porter (American) during the afternoon | session, when he demonstrated that the | adoption of a proposal by Lord Reay, | Great Britain, that neutral vessels lui nishing provisions to belSSerents should be captured, would mean the placing or | all neutral merchantmen at the mercy or any beligerent warship
 The Panama delegation today Informed President Neidoff of its desire to change its vote of July F on the American prop osition regarding the inviolability or prl- vate property at sea favorable 10 the proposition This action approves the proposition by a vote of 22 against ID. Important Committees. Two of the most important sub-com- mittees of the peace conference that 10 which was referred the subject of rights and obligations of neutrals or lanu' ana the one dealing with the question of private property at sea, contraband, etc, 1 held unotracted meetings today but did no. reach any definite decisions. The brst | named committee took up the Frehch ! proposal that neutral state can only
  l of which a belligerent complains, 1T the acts are committed on It's own territory; l while neutral state cannot tolerate the | formation of a fighting force on us own | territory. it's responsibility Is not involved | by tho fact that some or It's suDJects | take service with belligerent' that a | neutral state Is not bound to prevent subjects exporting arms and ammuni- tion fer the use of a belligerent, and that prisoners escaping from the belligerents must be liberated.
 Great Britain. Germany and Belgium as- sociated themselves with the principle or the French proposal, but suggested amendments. All the questions were nnai- ly referred to a committee.
 Belgium Proposal Killed.
 The committee on private property at sea voted down the Belgian proposal, that mercantile vessels seized by bel ligerept must be restored at the con clusloa of a war while discussion on the French motion for the abolition Of rrie money and providing for the in- | Identification of ownership of property I seized by the state to which they be- | long was adjourned for a fortnight. None | oI .Ae delegates has instructions on this | question from their governments. Professor De Martens of the Russian 1 delegation, moved that while the com | mission recognizes the generaous sent- ments of the proposal, regarding the inn munity of private property at sea, Tn view Of the divergency of opinions and | especially the want of experience in the matter the conference expresses the wish that at the beginning of each war bel ligerent states may declare wether they will renounce the practice of making prizes. In view of the hesitation with which the resolution was received Pro- lessor De Martens withdrew 1t. Discussion then ensued on the defni- tion of warships. but this question, to- gether with the whole programme of the committee. finally was referred to an ex- amining committee of which Rear Ad- | miral Charles S. Perry, united States | navy, is a member.
 Work of Conference. The plenary sitting of the peace confer enee today was favored by fine weather and bright sunshine It the first sitting like this since the opening of the | conference Practically all the delegates l were present.
 | President Nelidoff summarized the work of the conference. He expressed satis- | faction with the results already attained. adding that he hoped the second period of | the conference would be as fruitful as the first. After his speech the committee en- | trusted with the examination of addresses. i petitions, etc. presented a long report containing all the documents received l from societies, religious institutions, col | lective bodies, etc. reserving to another sitting the communication of similar doc uments received from private individuals
 Many addresses contained In todays re- port were from American associations
 Louis Renault France) read a report on the adaptation of the Red Cross regu- | lations to naval warfare. The Persian | and Turkish delegates made their usual | reservations, setting forth the impossibil- | of thatr aS a blem After further discussion the Red Cross proposal was unanimously ap-
 proved.
 Before the conclusion of the sitting M,
 Neldoff, in an energetic address, again
 called attention to the fact that the pub
 lications of the conference should be kept | secret.