Evening star., 1907-10-30
RESULTS IMPORTANT
What the Recent Hague Peace
Conference Accomplished.
NEUTRALS' RIGHTS NAMED
Principle of Court of Arbitration
Favored.
AMERICAN DELEGATES LEAD
Great Powers Yield on the Question
of Using Force in the Col
lection of Debts.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.

Chicago Record Herald.
NEW YORK, October %. 1907
| The delegates from the United States
| and other countries to the peace confer
ence at The Hague and their secretaries
and attaches are beginning to arrive, and
they bring very interesting and more
favorable reports than have been tele-
graphed to the newspapers. From their
accounts the correspondents have not
recognized the depth of significance in
the proceedings or the Importance of the
results accomplished. which were much
more than --as expected by the most san
guine. Socia.y, the conference was
brilliant success, and the discussions by
the delegates who represented the highest
authorities on diplomacy and interna-
tional law were of supreme interest, The
jealousy of the great powers the rivalry
OF England. Russia and Germany for the
control of Europe. and the fear of the
Latin-American republics lest their in
terests might be imperiled were the in
surmounta BILE obstacles that prevented
harmony in the proceedings and unanim-
ity in the conclusions.
Ancient Chinese Peace Conference.
During the proceedings student of
Chinese history discovered in the archives
of that enerable> empire the record of
similar conference held in China more
than 800 years before Christ. The cir
cumstances surrounding the two assem-
blieS were very similar. The intention of
the ancient conference was to abolish war
and secure peace among the various
tribes and provinces that constitute the
great Chinese empire. which, then as now,
spoke different languages and were sep
arated by local prejudices and resent
ments. Time has softened the animoSities
to certain degree. just as it has oblit
Grated boundary lines, although racial
rivalrics still perplex and endanger the
Manchu dynasty at Peking. And even
today 1t is necessary for the tranquility
Of the empire to divide the authority and
the honors between the Manchus, the
MOngOS, the Tartars, the Cantonese, the
Chinese and other races as equally as
possible
Fort-three centuries ago a conference
was called at one of the central cities of
China, and delegates came from all di-
rectfons attended by splendid retinues of
wise men and warriors. They were so
suspicious that they refused to enter the
city and encamped outside the walls.
After the delegates had assembled and
each as was the case at The Hague, had
proclaimed the most profound assurances
of his peaceful desires and intentions, 1t
was accidentally discovered that one of
an arsenal ready for action under his gor-
geous robes. This provoked the indigna
tion and reproacheS of all the rest until
II was disclosed that every one of them
was armed and armored in the same
manner.
This was about the situation at The
Hague, and that is the principal reason
why the conference did not accomplish
more practical results.
Results of the Conference.
Although the delegates from the United
States and friendly nations failed to OBJ
tain unanimous and final action upon
the most important propositions ad-
vancod. nevertheless they accomplished
satisfactory results by securing the full
assent of majority of the nations and
the qualified assent of the minority. They
were also successful in extending the
regulations that govern belligerents so as
TO reduce the horrors of war and to pro
tect the interests of neutrals. The de-
bates in the conference have been espe
Cially notable in drawing out ideas and
suggestions from the most learned diplo-
natiStS of the day concerning the prac-
tical application of both moral and legal
principles TO international affairs.
The official announcement of the re-
suits of the conference rs as follows:
4. The peaceful regulation of interna-
tional conflicts.
. Providing for an international prize
court
3. Regulating the rights and duties of
HcutralS on land.
f. Regulating the rights and duties
of Heutrals at sea.
-. Covering the laying of submarine
mines.
Is. The bombardment of towns from the
Sna.
=. The matte of collection of contract
ual debts.
- The transformation of merchant
men into warShips.
- The treatment of captured crews
10. The nviClability of fishing boats.
IL. The inviOla bility of the postal serv-
:cc
-. The application of the Geneva con-
ventiOn and the Red Cross to sea war
are, and
IL. The laws ard customs regulating
land warfare.
The right to sign these conventions will
be open till June 30. 1905"
Reserved for the Future.
was merely for an exchange OF views and
its action is not binding upon any ma
ton unless its government shall herea fter
sign a general treaty pledgng itself to
carry out the principles and the policy
recommended by the conference: and. as
stated above, signatures will be accepted
until June 80, 1898, to the above propo-
Stions which were unanimously agreed
upon. In addition to those the CON
ference adopted several other resolutions
and made ScVaral otbar 5acIa ~, to-. -