New-York tribune., 1907-06-07
POWERS At THE HAGUE.
Gcrmony'S altitude on Disarmament
-C0ntraband Of Var.

Berlin, June 6.-Ihe prcliminar1es 10 the
Hague conference have been settled TO the sat
isfaction Of the Emperor and the Foreign Office
and the meeting is awaited with a tranquility
that did not prevail in March when some OF the
powers we're endoavoring TO win a diplomatic
success over Germany by seeking TO make it ap-
pear that Germany aIcre was an enemy of peace
by wishing TO omit the question Of armaments
from the programme. Tho .Austro- Hungarian
and the Russian governments particularly have
associated themselves V-ith the German view
that the conference may 70 further toward elm
mating war by agreements TO extend the peace
ful adjustments Of disputes shan by debates on
the extinction or curraHrnent Of arnlaments The
British government. which vas so active in
pressing for 4 discussion Of aI-naments. is dis
posed now, according 10 information received
tn the German Foreign Once. 10 drop the sub
1ect unless the American or some other govern
rnent can be got TO introduce IL.
The Emperor's Instructions 20 the German del
egates. should disarmament come up for discus
sion. are not to take part in the discussion, hut
10 note the development Of the question and
port thereon Prince Won BuIow, speaking in
the Reichstag on April 30. said that the govern
rent would take into earnest consideration any
agreements of the other powers concerning ar
lnanents The governments position on this
subject finds general support IN Germany. The
Socialists have criticised the government. but all
other parliamentary groups have approved its
policy
The rights Of private property at sea are con-
sidered with the related questions to be the most
important subjects that viii be examined. II
is assumed that The United states viii follow its
traditional policy C Affirming that private prop
erty should be Immune from capture. When the
proposal was made a The first Hague conference
that the United States would give up the privi-
iege Of Drivateeriug provided the conference
would abolish the right Of scizing private prop
erty the delegates except those Of Great Britain
and France, expressed the hope that second
conference would consider the question. The
German government with certain limitations, is
in sympathy with the American view. The ex-
emption Of private property would require pre-
else agreements relative to the seizure Of cargoes
or parts of CarSoos as contraband O. in contra
vennon of a blockade that may haze been de-
clared against the port TO which the foods were
consigned. The disclosure Of the British and
the French positions IS awaited With special
interest Since the abolition in land warfare Of
authorized lootug one Of the attractions of war
has ceased, so the prohibition Of plundering at
sea would he regarded here as removing one
more cause of war The navy, in common with
the navics CT other countries. is disincned to
give Up the chances of prize money, but general
political considerations not service ideas, con-
trel tho Governments attitude
Germany, like other nations with extensive
commerle cut without mastery Of the sea, in
clnes toward limiting the definition of contra
band OF wa. Since 5he previous conference
Russia has declared cotton, food stuffs, naphtha
and alcohol TO be absolute contraband, a position
regarded by most paror as uutenable Ger
many had occasion .iso TO protest in course of
the Boer way aEoi ST the se-zUre by British ships
Of the German merchantmen Herzog, General
and ECndesTat on the supQcsiticn that they car
ried 1Cntrahend. The effort Of The German dele
gates viii 6e to obtain definition Of contraband
so clear 1hat the subject may be considered as
beyond the possibility of dispute in the future.
The Instructions OF the German delegates ap-
pear TO be in favor Of agreement not TO begin
war by a surprise but by a formal declaration
with a sufficient interval before h0stlities %
avoid the character Of d surprise vet soon
enough 20 enable q state 10 avail itself Of pre-
psTednesS.
In the discussion Of rules Tor the laying of
mines at sea the German delegates viii prob
ably ask that great international sea routes
such the English Channel. shall be excluded
from the right Cf bolIige~ent with
mines. The Russian precedent Of informing
neurals Of mine laying should. # is thought
here, be accepted as d principle Of international
law. on such questions IS the treatment of bel
ngerenIs' ships in neutral harbors. the sinking
OF prizes III case of apparent necessity and the
conversion Of merchant into war ships, the Ger
man desire IS TO attain clear understandings.
Il Is net 50 much what the practice shall be az
that il shall be uniform ard in accord with
clearly expressed principles.
Paris, June 6-The Instructions to the French
delegates TO the peace conference at The Hague
were approved by the Cabinet to-day and For
eign Minister Pichon viii make statement in
parliament tomorrow covering the French atti-
tude on the principal questions. N. Pellet. tho
French Minister at The Hague, has been added
70 the French plenipotentiaries..
NJ BeaucuIer. Radical Socialist. representing
Bcsancon in the Chamber Of Deputies, to-day
filed a petition. having seventy thousand sigma
lures. IN the Chamber, demanding that the gov
ernment at the Hague peace conference. support
the proposition for compulsory arbitration.
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