Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-11
MUCH GOOD EXPECTED
Looking Forward to the Second
Hague Conference.
TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED
Employment Of Force in Collection of
Debts.
THE LESSENING OF ARMAMENTs
Some Of the Beneficial Results Of the
First Peace Congress-Horrors
Of War Mitigated.
THE LESsENING OF ARMAMENTs
BY WILLIAM +. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS
written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The second peace conference at The
Hague will meet at noon June 15 1907, and
Washington will be well represented The
commissioners from the United States are
Joseph II. Choate. former ambassador to
the court Of st. James; Horace Porter for
mer ambassador to France; Uriah NJ. Rose
Of Arkansas former president Of the Amer
lean Bar Association; David Jayne Hill,
minister to the Netherlands; Brig. Gen.
George B.. Davis, Judge advocate general
United States army; Rear Admiral Charles
8. Sperry, U. 8. NJ. president Of the Naval
War College at Newport. and William !.
Buchanan, former minister to the Argen-
tine Republic and to Panama and delegate
to the second Pan-American conference at
Mexico and to the third Pan American con-
ference at Rio de Janeiro Chandler Hale,
son of the senator from Maine, is the sec-
rotary. and Prof. James Brown Scott, So
licitor for the Department Of State. and
Charles Henry Butler. reporter OF the
United States Supreme Court, accompany
the delegates as legal advisers. William NJ
Malloy,- clerk of the Senate committee on
foreign relations, goes as disbursing officer;
Mr.. William A. Newcome and Miss Mar
garet A. Hanna Of the State Department rs
photographers. and Arthur Bailly Blanch-
ard of the United States embassy, Paris
and H. c. Bezey Of the United States en-
bassy at st. Petersburg as translators
Gen. John W. Foster. former Secretary Of
State will represent China, and Mr.. Rem
sen Whitehouse former secretary OF lega-
tion at Guatemala Mexico and Rome ana
secretary of the first Pan-American confer
ence, will be secretary Of the Chinese dele
cation.
Several residents of Washington who are
To- ,~yfr az
the meetings of the conference in private
capacity for their own edihcation.
Initiated by This Country.
The second conference was called by
President Roosevelt on October II, 1904. in
response to the universal desire Of the think
ing people Of this country that the influence
of the first conference in 1899 might be
strengthened and extended for the peace of
the world. Secretary Hay prepared an
eloquent circular. which was sent to each
Of the governments represented at the nrst
conference, setting forth his views ana the
desires of the United States. together with
a resolution adopted by our Congress In
April 1904, expressing desire that the
President endeavor to bring about an under-
standing among the pflnelpai .t thar't inte
the permanent law of civilized nations the
principle Of the exemption of-all private
property at sea, not contra band OF war:
Secretary Hay also suggested several
other topics which might be discussed at a
second meeting and invited the governments
to which the circulars were ADDRESSED 10
make similar suggestions. -
The first conference, in 1882 was an ex,
pertinent and at first was generally looked
upon as failure because 1t dad not &C
complish what was hoped Tor py Ns Iriehus
and advocates. 1t was regarded by many
critics as a mere subterfuge on the part OF
Russia to humbug other nations. 1t was
often said that the governments that were
represented tried to fool each other, put
succeeded only in fooling themselves But
as time passed and the perspective was IN.
creased and enlarged and Its lnnuence pc
gan to develop, the first conference as
sumed greater importance ana ls now UNI
yersally acknowledged to be the most sig
nificant event in the history OF internatlonai
arbitration. The nations represented oio
not agree to abolish their armies or Turn
their spears into plowshares, nor Old they
agree to limit their armamenS or their ex-
penditures for military purposes, as was
suggested but the discussion OF those sup.
jects at The Hague awakened new ih. pshsnh
in them and provoked an agitation which
has aroused the consciences OF the nauons
and has educated public opinion to such an
extent that the subject OF general as
but is regarded as a part of the unfinished
business Of The Hague assembly OF natiohs'
Principle Of Arbitration.
AT Inc same tiiuC hS AAe~cNS
marked an epoch in the development of
international arbitration. II ornaments
cannot be abolished and war prevented. all
civilized nations have accepted the prin-
CHILE of arbitration for the avoidance OF
wars and the preservation of peace, and
have consented to consider the opinions o!
other nations as to their international
duty and conduct. The PORTSMOUTH nego-
sia and Japan, invited by President Roose-
Welt, are recognized as the most advanced
step that has yet been taken In the MS
tory of civilization Both Russia ,,u nna
to listen to the counsel of disinterested
friepd and laid down their arms at his
suggestion 1t was the chief triumph OF
result of that assembly. The foundation
upon which the proceedings at Portsmouth
rested was established at The Hague in
1890, and it's Importance and erect as
precedent can never be disregarded here
after in the settlement of international
disputes.
The second conference, which meets in
June next. is expected TO extend that
foundation, and, as Judge Penfield Of this
city, in the journal Of the Society Of In
ternational Law has recently said, to build
the superstructure. 1T Is an intensely
practical work. which time and experience
viii undoubtedly complete, as nearly as
institutions, merely human. can be brought
to perfection. The first Hague conference
marked the opening of new epoch In
international arbitration" said Judge Pen
field .'It marked the transition from the
period immemorial, during which the prep
aration for wars and the settlements which
followed wars were the principal objects
of diplomatic negotiations, to the new era
when the paramount object will be the
avoidance OF wars and the preservation Of
peace.
Four Historic Events.
.'The opening era has been marked by
four historic eventsof prime i'm portance-the
creation of the first Hague tribunal in 1902;
the establishment of the peace Of Ports
mouth in 1905, and of the peace OF Central
America. and Of the peace of Cuba, both in
1896 The way to restore peace through
mediation by the good offices of the ma
ton, has been marked out. The one great
practical problem remains-how to keep the
peace If the paths Of international peace
lead through the open gateway OF inter-
4lexz< rl.if s.a4 inxa H. Alo.