Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-14
NELIDOFF'S TEMPER TAXED
Russian Government Playing Clever
Obstruction Game.
DELEGATES HEDGED IN BY RULES
American Delegation Confident Some
Good Will Result Despite Pessi.
mistic Views in Some Quarters.
Special Cablegram 10 The Star.

THE HAGUE. July IA statesman ~
Bismarckian mold If such existed now in
Europe. would probably kill the peace con-
terence as an institution by some rough
ridcule. H would be helped by the IA
grant disconnection between its rules of
procedure and the modest, serious work
that some of its leading members are striv-
ing to do. The exasperating pointlessness
Of stages suled out for committee discus
sions TO pass through il primarily due to
Russia. Her government clings TO its pa
rental authority over the cars creation,
but Ii shows neither respect for Its present
nor gene rsity for its future.
Count : .idOif. whose anna biii-y is taxed
To the limit TO protect his sovercIgn's fame
anttsmc, is about to abandon the attempt
to preside seriously over the deliberations
or the conference and resume his health
cure elsewhere. But no overdue consider
alton on mis- part for the conference can
obliterate the role of an absolute obstruc-
Zionist which the Russian government Is
playing
Most OF the great European powers are
| convinced that anything that may be
achieved by the present clumsy congress
could be much better handled through the
regular diplomatic channels but their re-
cent policy has been to join in a mutually
jealous conspiracy to call Russia great
power. None OF them is willing TO forego
q fraction of it's national interests TO re-
store the ear to his self-created pedestal
of the Christian friend of all mankind.
The position Of the car as Jealous
W
recognized as SO inde.ensible that before
1t separates some tacit arrangements will
probably have to come that he will have
no privileged position in regard to future
reunions.
Accepted Rule of Conduct.
The matters on which enough agreement
may DE obtained to has. an accepted rule
OF conduct are aow reduced to the detail OF
maritime laws. Even on these Russia re-
maina n cynical obstructiouist, whose only
intelligent decisions are taken when she
sells her vote TO her ally Her attitude on
! the conversion of merchantmen into war
ships Is still the same that sought TO de-
fend the passage of the ships of her SUBJ
sidiZed volunteer fleet under a commercial
flag through the Dardanelles which are
closed to naval tonnage, and the subse-
quent hosting of war ensign in the Red
sea. Equally she holds that anything is
contraband that she IS allowed 10 keep,
she kept the cargoes of decayed fertilizer
destined for Korean farmers on the ground
that dried fish was the staple food of Japa-
nese troops.
AS to the proper behavior on the opening
of hostilities she will have nothing to do
with the idea of chivalrous, old-fashioned
public challenge Her rule of conduct still
is as it was in 1876, when she crossed
neutral territory and invaded the Turkish
empire for several days before she de-
clareG war on the sultan. Until she Is re-
moved from her false position as the osten-
sible patron of the conference II will be
difficult to resist the arguments of expert
enced men here who are already pleading
for a return to the usual international
negot atoms.