The sun., 1907-09-29
The FutiIity of the Hague Confer
rnce Again Exhibited.


The outcome of the seventh plenary
session Of the Hague Conference which
took place on September %. disappointed
the onlookers who had still persisted IN
hoping that in the end some important
results might be achieved. Not a word
was said about the promotion Of inter
national peace, which was the primary
purpose Of the gathering. The proposals
were restricted to notifications of the
usages Of warfare. and TO some Of these
the assent Of delegates was qualified
by reservations, so that the unanimous
adoption Of them is uncertain.
Some of the changes in international law
agreed upon are reasonable enough, but
scarcely can be described as worth calling
conference for. For example. it was
settled with the requisite unanimity that
postal matter shall be inviolable in time
of war. that fishing boats shall be ex-
empt from capture, unless found aiding
belligerents. and that crews of COM
mercial ships are not To be made pris-
oners of war. The attempt To permit
the transformation Of merchant vessels
into warships without restriction as 10
the place where the change may be made
failed to receive unanimous approval the
vote being 81 to 0. The United States
figured in the minority. IL will be re-
membered that in the late Russo-Japa-
nese war some Russian vessels obtained
permission to pass through the Darda-
nelles from the Black Sea on the plea
that they were merchantmen, but sub
seauently were converted into warships.
This evidently was an evasion of the
Treaty of Paris of 1855 and as such was
denounced.
The report defining the law of block
ade was debated, but an agreement Of all
the Powers on the subject was clearly
out of the question. The resolution that
ships OF an enemy caught in harbor
should have a period of grace during
which they might complete their load
ing and depart, was passed with ostensi-
BILE unanimity, but General PORTER ex-
planned that his assent might ultimately
be withdrawn, as he had received no
definite instructions from his Govern
ment on the point. In perfunctory way
the delegates voted to recommend TO
their Governments that neutral prizes
should not be destroyed. but taken TO
the nearest harbor belonging to the
captors. They did not venture, however,
TO imbed the provision in international
law. IL is obvious that while such pro-
hibition might suit Great Britain, which
has seaports all over the globe, II might
impose a grave hardship on less fortu-
nate maritime Powers, as, for example,
Germany or the United States. General
PORTER on behalf of the American dele
gates is said also TO have withheld final
assent to the declaration that ships to be
reckoned az capturable az naval auxili
aries must be under command OF naval
officer. The United States having re-
fused to abandon privateering, which was
forbidden by the Congress OF Paris, and
having thus exposed her commerce in
time of war to the attacks Of privateers,
can hardly be expected TO waive her
right to capture such assailants il they
happen not to be commanded by naval
officers.
The Conference has not yet fixed def
nitely on the date for adjournment, but
the impression now prevails that the
protocol will be signed on October IL.
Unless in the next fortnight something
entirely unexpected happens it will have
left behind it an abortive and inglorious
record.