New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-06-10
AMERICA AT THE HAGUE
TO TAKE IMPORTANT PART
Idea Of Second Conference Origi-
mated Here.

ond Hague conference, which assemblies next
Saturday, the part played by America in bring
ing about this great international gathering and
the nature of instructions under which
delegates are TO participate in the Congress
become matters of great interest. Frequent
| pOstponements OF the second meeting and pro-
! longed diplomatic wrangles the subjects
| to be included in the programme under which
the conference will be conducted have. in a
| measure, obsCured the beginnings of the move
ment for the reassembling of the conference,
| so that there IS not perhaps a general appreca-
| ton Of the important part played by the WASH
! ington government In initiating the movement.
/ For the fact is that America really caused the
invitation TO the second Hague conference to be
extended to the world, though the document
was actually issued later by the Russian gov
! eminent
The germ of the idea was found in the meeting
| of the Interparliamentary Union at St. Louis
two years ago The resolutions there adopted
all urging an eXten; ion of the principle of set
ting international disputes by arbitration, were
laid before President Roosevelt, who later pre-
pared note, addressed principal repre-
| Sentatives abroad directing them to sound the
governments 20 which they were accredited
! to the desirability Of reconvenng the interna-
tiOnal conference at The Hague. The Presi-
dents overtures were received with apathy at
first. and II not until the Russian Emperor
| came to the rescue, and (the President mean
| while practically desisting from further move
menO issued his specific invitation that
| the success of the second conference was
! sured. Naturally, having in way fathercd
the second conference. the Washington govern
ment has shown the deepest interest in every
| detail of the programme of important subjects
| to be considered by that conference.
TO INCREASE ARBITRATION.
| xNs.
! the American view, is the proposal that i'm
| provements be made in the provisions of the
existing convention relative to a peaceful settle
ment of international disputes regards the
! Court of Arbitration and the International Com
mission of Inquiry. Instructions of the Amer
! lean delegates on this point known to be
| explicit. They are TO do everything in their
| power TO influence the conference to enlarge the
| powers of the permanent Hague tribupal in
| dealing with arbitration cases Above all. the
| effort is to be made TO bring more business
before the tribunal-to induce nations to have
| more frequent recourse to the arbitration
tribunal for the settlement OF their disputes
The fact is that the President and Secretary
| Root disappointed at the small issue from
| this tribunal Since its creation it has passed
| upon just four cases. First there the Plus
| Fund case involving the disposition of the fund
set apart by Mexico TO satisfy the Catholic Church
| in California for church property taken over by
| the state; second there was the settlement ~
| the question growing out of the blockade OF the
Venezuelan ports by the allied powers; third
! was the Alaskan boundary question between
| America and Great Britain; fourth the
! decision OF a question that had arisen between
| Japan ana Great Britain TO the exemption
| from taxation Of foreign dwcllers in Japan. All
| but the last of these cases We're Of American
origin. In other words, although serious inter
national disputes have arisen and have been
adjusted automatically or by force Of arms since
the creation of the Hague tribunal America and
Great Britain have been the only nations 10
resort TO arbitration.
That is why with a full belief IN the efficiency
| and humanity and common sense OF that method
| Of settling international quarrels the Washing
| ton government. seconded by Great Britain. has
| instructed its delegates to try 10 enlarge the
scope of the arbitration principle.
ADDITIONS To RULES OF WAR.
American delegates will also take advanced
| position In the discussion and treatment Of
the second article in Tho Hague programme
namely the additions to the laws and customs
Of war on land. Details Of these propositions
relate 10 the opening Of hostilities. the rights OF
ueutrals on land. etc. The necessity for making
these additions TO the rules Of war was made
plainly manifest by the Boer war and the
Russo-Japancse War. Certain Of our own eX-
perenCes in the Philippine insurrecton have
also had some influence on tho decision OF the
Washington government TO support liberal addi-
! tons TO the existing code.
/ 1t is understood that an attempt will be made
by the American delegates TO secure some gem
eral agreement as to the issuance of a deClara-
ton Of war in ample time before the beginning
of actual hostilites to insure reasonable protec-
ton for the rights Of neutral residents in the
belligerent countries and for neutral trade. Few
wars in modern times have been preceded by
formal declarations. Indeed, the United States
itself Is charged with omission that score in
the case OF the Spanish American War. The
Russians complained bitterly of a similar failure
on the part OF Japan, but altogether it Is be-
lieved that the American delegates Will have 10
make n hard fight to carry their proposition.
PRIVATE PROPERTY AT SEA.
| No country has taken a more advanced posi-
ton than America in the liberal treatment of
neutrals on the high seas in time of war. There
fore the American delegates will give strong
support to the third article Of the programme,
which in substance proposes to minimize the ex
ercse Of the right Of bombard ment and the seiz-
ure of private property at on the latter
point 1t may be recalled that America was tho
first among nations to propose that private
property on the sea should be treated exactly
| as is property on land in time of war; that it
should be exempt from seizure. If not made up
of contraband of war, and if seized to meet
naval necessities proper compensation should
be made to the owner. America also takes a
liberal view of contraband Of war, and her dele
gates will seek 10 limit the list by international
agreement something never heretofore accom-
pllshed), so as TO avoid unjust seizures of pr
Vate property.
indulgent IN the treatment of Spanish ships
that were caught In foreign ports at the out
break of war, and, II may be added, Spain reclp-
rocated In the spirit The effort will be
lr11oI m pfy wi IA a