Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-20
ALL NATIONS INVITED
Conservation Conference to Be
Held at Hague.
AMERICA TAKES THE LEAD
President Acts on Suggestion of
North American Commissioners.
FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER
Forty-Five Governments Expected to
Participate in Planning to Save
Worlds Natural Resources.
AMERICA TAKES THE LEAD
FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER

Conservation of natural resources, first
preached by the President about a year
ago. has spread till it promises to take
in the whole world. At the meeting of the
commissioners representing this country,
Canada and Mexico the scheme was I'M
folded for a worldwide conference, to
meet at The Hague next September.
where the nations of the world will make
a showing OF their resources with view
to making the worlds supply of timber,
minerals and water go as far as possible.
1t is understood that the coming world
conference is partly the result of a slight
break made by this government In sum-
moning the present conferences on the
resources Of North America. The invita-
ton to Canada In this instance was given
direct to Ottawa and was not sent
through the imperial government at Lon
don. 1t is hard for people in this country
to look upon Canada as anything but
separate entity, but in England she is
reckoned a colony just as much as ia
maica. Therefore it was rather a blow
to the sense of proprietorship of Great
Britain to find another nation dealing di-
rect with the Canadian government and
not operating through the English pre-
mier and the secretary for the colonies.
Invitation Made General.
However the error such as it was, has
been repaired by inviting the nations of
the world to general conference at The
Hague. Invitations will be extended to
all governments represented at The Hague
peace conference There are forty-five OF
these and 1t is understood that all of
them will appoint representatives.
In official statement given out at
the White House last night it was an
nounced that the conference Of delegates
representing the United States, Mexico
and Canada, having exchanged views
and considered the information supplied
from the respective countries, is con-
WINGED Of the Importance of the movement
for the conservation OF natural resources
on the continent of North America, and
believes that 1t Is of such nature and
of such general importance that it should
become worldwide in its scope. and there
fore suggests to the President that all
nations should be invited TO join together
in conference on the subject of world re-
sources and their inventory, conservation
and wise utilization
Secretary Bacon's Statement.
In an official statement by Secretary of
State Bacon yesterday it was stated that
such a conference might well consider
general plan for an inventory of the nat
ural resources of the world and of devils
ing a uniform scheme for the expression
Of the world results of such inventory to
the end that there may be a general un.
Outstanding and appreciation of the
worlds supply of the material elements
which underlie the development of ctvlli-
cation and the welfare of the peoples OF
the earth It will be appropriate also for
the conference to consider the general
plan OF the correlated problem OF checking
and when possible repairing the injuries
caused by the waste and destruction OF
natural resources and utilities. ana make
n ions i'm IN
conservation, development and replenisi-
ment.
with such a world-inventory and such
recommendations" continues the state
ment 1.-The various producing countries Oh
he whole world would be in Il better po-
sition to cooperate, each for its own
good and all for the good of ALL toward
the safeguarding and betterment of their
common means or support.
Looking to the Future.
"A knowledge of the continuance and
stability of perennial and renewable re-
sources is no less important to the world
than a knowledge of the quantity or the
term remaining for the enjoyment Oh
those resources which when consumed
are irreplaceable. Reading the lessons OF
the past Alright, it would be for such
conference to look beyond the present
to the future.
General plans for the coming confer
ence at The Hague were discussed by
the North American representatives at
a dinner given by Secretary Bacon at his
home last night.
In addition to the members of the
conference there were present Senators
Knox and Cullom, DR.. Henry S. Graves,
director of the Yale Forestry School;
William Irvine of Wisconsin, capt. }. b.
White of st. Louis, former Gov. Napo-
leon B. Broward AND Senator Milton,
both of Florida