The San Francisco call., 1907-06-03
PEACE C0NFEREEs MAKE
NO PLANS IN ADVANCE
Delegates to The Hague
Will Shape Their Course
From Day to Day
QUEEN TO ENTERTAIN
Wilhelmina's Hospitality
Will Be Extended at Her
County Seat

THE HAGUE, June 2.-The general
plan Of the proceedings at the second
peace conference probably will follow
closely the procedure OF the first con-
gress held in 1899. Virtually nothing
has been worked out in advance. The
arrangements up TO the present time
simply cover the opening session, when
Nelidof. the Russian ambassador to
France, will call the conference to or
der and make an address extending his
soVereign's greetings to the delegates.
The Dutch minister for foreign affairs
VIII reply in an address of welcome
on behalf of Queen Wilhelmina- There
after II viii remain for the conference
to decide how il shall proceed.
1t is safe to assume that the general
line of procedure Of the former confer
ence will be duplicated. The first thing
in order will be the appointment of
committees to consider the various sub
3ects inscribed upon the Russian pro-
gram. These will hardly number more
than five. Unless the question of the
reduction or Limitation of ornaments
be injected into the proceedings at the
outset. in which event the main strug-
gle may be at once precipitated. the
plenary body probably will not meet
again for ten days or a fortnight, in
order that the committees have oppor-
tunIty TO prepare reports for submis-
sion. IN general, it is not expected
that the fun conference will meet more
than once a week until the work of
the committees justiies more frequent
sessions.
The opening session. it is expected.
win be public TO the extent at least of
admitting few distinguished guests
and press representative but the ses-
sions OF the conference and OF the COM
mittees VIII be secret.
The question of giving out public
statement OF the. progress made will
be decided by the conference itself.
SECRECY CREATES RUMORS
IN 1899 Russia attempted to shroud
the proceedings in mystery and secrecy
bat after a fortnight il was found
that this course led TO the publication
OF 50 many mischievous rumors that
several semiofiicial statements We're is
sued. This year many of the delegates,
realizing the advantage of stopping the
mouths of sensation mongers. favor the
issuance. daily if possible, of a brief
seniofficial statement.
The French language. as in 1899, will
be the official language OF the confer
ence. although the advent of the South
Americans and the growing influence
Of English may lead TO some relaxation
of the rule with regard 10 the debates
and may result in a compromise such
as was arranged at the peace confer
ence at Portsmouth, whereby the pro-
tocols, or minutes. were inscribed in
both French ana English, although the
French text was to be regarded as
Official in case Of dispute
The entertainment OF the delegates
wil not be lavish. but rather will be
in simple good taste. Nothing viii
be arranged which could in any way
interfere in the work of the confer
ence. Parliament has appropriated
100000 guiden Cs4O.0OO) for the recep-
ton Of the cOuntry's guests, but this
covers the expenses in connection with
the sittings in the hall Of the knights.
In addition the government viii give
an entertainment. the nature Of which
has not been definitely determined, ex-
cept that il viii not be an evening re-
ception- Probably It viii take the
form of day trip or excursion to some
interesting historical spot. The munici-
pality win give a formal reception.
QUEEN WILL ENTERTAIN
Queen wilhelmina, out of her privy
purse, viii entertain the delegates as a
body. In 1899 she received them in the
old royal palace at Amsterdam; but
this year she will offer her hospitality
At Hatloo, her country seat, about an
hours run from The Hague.
Beyond those official functions, there
viii be much private entertaining by
the Dutch aristOcracy and among the
diplomats themselves In addition the
delegates Will not lack for distraction
IN their idle moments. The city is
almost ideal in the summer. 1t lies
picturesqueiy in a low, green landscape
threaded with canals and dotted with
Characteristic Dutch windmills and IS
always cooled by the breeze of the
sea two miles away. The streets are
quiet and the homes and villas of the
Dutch arfstocracy, bearing testimony
10 the fortunes amassed in the East
Indies, give 1T an air Of elegant cos
mopolitanism.
Minister Hill is extremely anxious
that the ceremony of the laying of the
cornerstone of the palace Of peace, to
which Andrew Carnegie has subscribed
81 500 0oe, shall take place before the
conference adjourns The site of the
building has been chosen in a PARK
called the Observation-Disclosures Pelder,
but the plans have not yet been def
nitely approved.
The lowest estimate OF the duration
OF the conference is six weeks and the
belief is that il will be in session be-
tween two and three months.
NTFNnNE NHlNIr nllIlIrnn