The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-10-20
tS WEEKS OF PEACE CONGRESS-
LONG ARRAY OF CONCLUSIONS
LAR0ELY SENTIMENTAL.

Promotion q Peace Had Small Fart In the
Prsceedlbgs-Chief work Was Reguia.
lion q WaF-Too Many Obstructives
-Mr. Cheate's Proposals sterilized
The peace conference at The Hague.
which has just come to an n after sitting
for eighteen weeks. was originally pro-
posed by President Roosevelt shortly after
the conclusion OF peace between Russia and
Japan at the Portsmouth conference. In
Difference to diplomatic ideas. however.
the actual initiative was left to the Car,
Who had called the first n in 1899. On
his motion Queen Wilhelmina OF the Neither
lands sent out the invitations to tho Powers.
and the original date set for the gathering
was July, 1905.
This period, however. clashed with that
chosen for the Pan-American Congress At
Rio de Janeiro. and ~ the latter could not
10 postponed tho Powers consented TO
DELAY the Hague gathering. A. the hall
IN which the conference meets is occupied
by the Netherlands Parliament In the fall
Of the year. the opening Of the peace SEES
sians had to 60 over until June 1. 1907.
The actual date was June Is.
From the outset the conference was
handicapped by the programme which the
Gar outlined for its discussions. In a
circular letter to the Powers. sent out early
in the year, he proposed as the scope Of the
conferences labors: .
!. improvements in the conventions
reached in 1899 regarding the peaceful
settlement OF International controversies
through changes In respect TO the court Of
arbitration.
>. Additions to the convention regarding
the laws and usagcs OF land warfare. such
as declarations Of war and rights Of neil
trals.
A new convention regarding naval
warfare covering the bombardment Of
ports, planting of mines. oontrabsnd OF
war, rights OF neutrals, transformation Of
merchant into war vessels.
T. Conventions adapting the provisions
o. the Geneva conference Of 1894 to naval
warfare.
The greatest surprise and disappoint-
mont in these proposals was the omission
OF any illusion to disarmament Or at least
= reduction in the scale of war prcpars-
tons maintained by the nations OF Europe.
tngland. with SIR Henry Campbell Hammer
mar. the Premier. for monthpiece. raised
n great cry for action on the armament
0I' slion. The United States cordially
ard trance ea rne silly supported England.
G"rmlny talked of ass snting TO the prin-
olple, hut it WIS plain from the outset that
neither she nor Russia intended to let any
thing real be done Thu. what ultimately
turned our to be trIe was prophesisd Of
III" conferences oefore H. assembled. viz
That It wo''lo he a gathering to legis.atI
Tor wGr ath than to promote peace.
Invitations Ia tai e psrt in the conference
we're ssnt to every state in the world pos
s-Sing any degree of civil :iticn. China
s'nt dcl,gates. and although Cuts wGs
under the tdtelage oil the United States
hers were also admitted. altogether about
hEty Powers were represented. The mead
OF the United States delegation ives Ios ,ph
n. Chpatc, and associated wi;t, hin ycrr
Zen. Horace Porter. Y. NJ. Rose. David
Jayh" Hill. United States Minister to the
Netherlands; Brig. -G,p. George p. JAWS.
Rear admiral Charles =. Sperry. william, !
buchanan. Chsndla- Hale James Brown
scott and Henry Butler.
sir 'enrv Canpb,ll. Zimmerman ut first
Proposed to repres mt England himself. !
OIL IN the long run 4 som,xhst second