The Washington herald., 1907-07-21
OPEN War DECLARED
Peace Enthusiasts Vent Their
Wrath at The Hague.
CONFERENCE IS CALLED FIASCO
Baroness Won Suttler Leads in SaF-
castle Attacks on DeIegates-Brit-
ish Government Blamed for Fail
ure of Commissions to Make More
Definite RepOrts-English object.

The Hague, July 2o-The peace enthusI-
asts here have now declared open war on
the conference. They chose to-day. which
was hxed for the third pleuary session
since the cOuvocation 1--WE weeks ago, 10
begin a public celebration OF their wrath.
The Baroness Won Sutjner an enthusias-
tic Austrian lady. who shared in the
Nobel Peace prize, advertises to-day in
the publication For Internationallsm"
that on Monday she viii deliver a dis
course on The report presented by the
commission zero"
This sarcasm upon the nebulous report
that the commissions of the conference
have hitherto given out. is more violently
reflected in q manifesto of the same pa
per. which says that the cause Of peace
has been killed in the house of its friends,
and that eve learn to-day that 1t viii not
have even d frst-class funeral. In the
public plenary session 1t viii be hidden
away"
The document, which bases a violent
diatribe on what il calls this fasco,
blames the British government and its
delegates to The Hague. They are ac-
cused OF conducting their peace campaign
as the last British government conducted
the Transvaal campaign, disregarding a1i
warnings that they would knock their
heads against the wall II says. They
have made no propaganda and by their
silence have killed their subject"
Only Work Accomplished.
This despairing view will not be much
modified by the proceedings in the plenary
session 1t will be convoked TO ratify the
only piece Of work accomplished In five
weeks. and this modest achievement is
the adoption in maritime warfare Of the
principles Of the Geneva convention of
1886. Relative to land warfare and all
other questions. there have been such
serious reservations and so considerable
minorities that a final ratification vote
has not been attempted.
There were no negatives to-day. and the
only abstentions were Uruguay and Co
/ lombia, whose representatives CHANGED q
| be away from The Hague.
The convention adjourned to-day gives a
| legal status and protection to vessels
| used especially and solely 10 render sue
cor to the wounded, sick, and shipwreckeG
during war. The names Of such vessels
must be communicated at the opening OF
during the progress of hOstilities to the
respective belligerents. When they con-
form 10 the rule sanctioned to-day they
are immune from capture during hostili-
ties.
Greha Britain Objects.
The only reservation Of seriousness came
from Great Britain upon the rule that
/ any belligerent war ship can claim tht
return of its sick. wounded, or ship.
wrecked from not only hospital ships, but
/ commercial ships of any nationality
Englands chief delegate in the Interest
| Of her commercial marine declared that
/ this last clause needed closer definition
! otherwise innocent shipping might need
lessly be detained in voyages 10 the own
! ers' loss.
! The only other reservation was Of 3
! technical nature from Turkey and Per
/ STA, whose religion forbids them TO hois
/ the Red Cross, which is the symbol OF
/ the Geneva Convention. But they declar,
/ themselves willing TO respect it if tn,
! others reciprocate by respecting the stal
and crescent and the lion and red sun
/ respectively.
Prof. Diegpold. Of Berne, had advo
Gated founding a school Of internationa
law at The Hague. Count NelidoR ap
proved this, but said ne failed to see tht
possibility Of carrying it out until SOM
! generous person came forward and do
mated the money.