The sun., 1909-02-20
TO SAVE WEALTH OF NATURE
PRESIDENT WILL INVITE THE
NATIONS no CONFERENCE.
England, France and Germany Nllling
toTake Part In Such Congress
posai 10 Hold II at The Hague Next
September--A white House Meeting.

WASHINGTON, Feb. l9.-Acting upon
the request OF the delegates Of Mexico
and Canada who are attending the Con-
servation Conference in Washington, but
primarily on his own initiative, President
Roosevelt made it known to-day that he
expects TO invite all the civilized nations
Of the world TO participate in great con-
ference for>the conservation OF national
resources at The Hague next autumn.
For the purpose OF announcing to the
public the general plans and scope OF this
conference the President to-day called
into his Office about twenty correspond
ents for the principal newspapers. The
invitation to the foreign nations to par
ticipate in the proposed conference at
The Hague will be sent out at once through
the State Department, and the form of the
invitation was drawn up to-day by Secre-
tary OF State Bacon. in consultation with
President Roosevelt and Clifford Pinchot,
the Presidents friend and head Of the
United States Forest Service,
1t was announced this afternoon that
the State Department some weeks ago
sounded some of the leading foreign
nations in regard TO the Presidents sug-
gestion and that the response was so COR
dial as to leave no doubt of the feasibility
of the project. Some Of the European
nations are represented as having urged
the President to go on with his plan for
arousing worldwide interest in the con-
servation of natural resources, the pre-
vention Of waste and the economical use
Of the things that nature has given 10 all
the nations.
The nations who entered so cordially
into the spirit of the enterprise are not
named at this time, but ii is certain that
Great Britain ia one Of them, and probably
France and Germany are among those
from which more or less enthusiastic
responses have been received. Ostensi-
bly, the action originated in the recon-
mendatiou lately made to the President
by the Canadian and Mexican commits
sioners who are attending the present
North American Conservation Conference
in Washington. The subject was talked
over at a luncheon in the White House
to-day. at which the President enter
tanned the Canadian and Mexican visitors
as guests Of honor. Secretary Of State
Bacon and Senator Knox, who is 20 be
Secretary Of State under the next Admin
list ration, we're also present
The President believes that the nations
Of the world can gain a good deal by
and cooperation in regard
10 the conservation Of natural resources.
and he believes that the United States
can learn a good deal from what has
been done already hy some Of the nations
OF Europe. He makes it clear. however.
that the matter of the tariff, which might
easily be consid cred by some persons
as related 20 any International movement
for conservation. will not be one OF the
subjects for discussion at the proposed
Hague conference. The President last
year recommended that the tariff on
wood pull be removed on the ostensible
ground that the free admission of this
material into the United States would
mean the saving Of our national store of
pulp wood
Ii has been suggested by some per-
sons that the corollary OF this proposition
that the forests of Canada and other
would, under this plan, suffer
the depletion which it is proposed 10 avoid
In the United States and that this is hardly
consistent with the idea of international
President said in his speech at the White
House TO the Canadian and Mexican
delegates, however. that international
was wanted because no
nation should seek 20 build itself up at
the expense Of another. Nothing would
be gained by so doing, he said. The
President has said nothing recently about
free wood pulp and il is presumed that
he regards international conservation |
Of natural resources as greater question. |
The Presidents idea IS that the Hague |
conference should be held next September !
and that all the nations which partici- !
pated in The Hague arbitration conference |
and perhaps some others should be in |
vited 20 send delegates. There were |
forty-fve nations represented at the |
arbitration conference. A general pro- |
gramme would be drawn up by the State |
Department furnishing subjects for dis
Gu ssion, but this programme will be COM |
pleted only after extended diplomatic |
with view to obtaining |
The wishes OF the participating nations. /
II is proposed TO start a movement. |
through the coming worlds conference, |
toward obtaining a grand inventory |
Of all the natural resources OF the world |
30 that the human race may have as accu- |
rate an account OF stock as possible, |
10 consider questions OF waste and avoid |
ng waste, and in general TO arouse an
interest throughout Christendom in favor
of conserving the forests. mines, soil
and fisheries everywhere.