The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-04-17
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among the agencies by which the
world is governed ] can not doubt
that 1t will accomplish much for the
benefit of mankind; that in many
things it will bring the practice of
nations into closer conformity with
those great principles OF conduct to
which nations have accorded such
ready assent in theory but such re-
|luctant compliance when their par
|ticular interests are involves
The First Congress relegated to
future conference the considcra-
ton of three broad, general ques-
,ious affecting the conduct OF ma
t;ons toward each other: First, the
rights and duties OF neutrals; sec
ond. the inviolability OF private
property in naval warfare; and,
third, the bombardment Cd towns,
villages and ports by naval force.
! It is understood that all these sub
iects shall be considered at the
Second Conference.
The First Conference also adopt
ed two resolutions relating to nav
al and military armament. lne
first was
"The Conference is of opinion
that the restriction Of military
charges. which are at present
heavy burden on the world, is ex-
tremely desirable for the increase
Of the material and moral wei
fare of mankind. "
The second was:
"'The conference expresses the
wish that the governments TAX
ng into consideration the proposals
made at the Conference, may eX.
anime the possibility Of u agree
ment as to the limitation OF arm
cd forces by land and sea and oil
wcr budgets.
The Government of the United
States has been of the opinion
hllat the subject-matter of these res
olutions ought to be further con-
sidered and discussed in the Second
Conference; that the subject Is Ill
the nature of unfinished business
and can not be ignored, but must
he dealt with; that there ought
to be at least an earnest effort
10 reach or TO rake progress tow
ard reaching, some agreement UNI
der which the enormous expendi-
ture Of money and the enormous
withdrawal of men from produc-
tive industry for wallike- purposes
NAV be reduced or arrested or re-
tardcd. We have not been unmind-
ful of the fact that the question
is one which primary and IN its
present stage concerns Europe ratll-
er.tllan America; that the condi-
tions which have led to the great
armanents of the present day are
mainly European conditions, and
that it would i'll become us to be
forward or dogmafic in a matter
which is so much more vital to
the nations of Europe than to our
selves. 1t sometimes happens, how
ever. that - state having little or
no special material interest in n
proposal can fCr that very reason,
advance the proposal with the more
advantage and the less prejudice.
The American Government accord
ingly, at an early stage of the dis
rrssion regarding the program, re-
served the right to present this
subject for the consideration of
the Conference. Several European
oowers have also given notice OF
their intention to present the
subject. 1t may be that the discus
sion will not bring the Second
Conference TO any definite and
practical conclusion; certainly no
such concl,stion can b. effective
unless ii meets with practically uni
vcrsal assent, for there can be no
effective agreement which binds
some of the great powers and
leaves others free. There are Sc
rious difficulties in formulating
any definite proposal which would
not be Objectionable to some of the
powers. and upon the question
whether any specific proposal is
unfair and injurious to its interests
each power must be, ara is entitled
tc be. its own Judge.
Nevertheless, thc effort can he
made; il may fail in this Confer
cnceS as il failed in the first, but
even II ii fails one more step will
have been taken toward ultimate
Mcoess. Long-continued and per-
sistent effort is always necessary
TO bring mankind into conformity
with great ideals; every great ad-
vance that civilization has made on
its road from savagery has been
upon stepping stones of failure,
and good fight bravely lost for
a sound principle is always vic
tOry.
The Government of the United
States has also considered that the
Second Hague Conference might
well agree in putting some limita-
ton upon the tse of force for tie
collection of ordinarf contrlct
debts. due by one GOV srnment to