The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-08-22
HAGUE
Conference Already Attract
ing The Delegates
The Meeting To Open SeS-
SiOnS Next Month

Washington, Aug. 20.-Members of
the American Congress who are to
attend the sessions of the Interpar-
liamentary Union this year at The
Hague have already sailed for Europe. |
Among the last to depart was Repre-
sentative F. G. Stevens, of the st.
Paul Mimi, district. Representative
Richard Bartholdt of Missouri, presi- |
| dent of the American group of the |
union, and Representative James L.
Slaydon of Texas are two other mem
bers of the House appointed officially |
| to represent the American Congress. |
Senators Burton of Ohio and Williams
of Mississippi, owing to the tariff dis
cussion and other important legisla-
tive questions now engaging the at
tention of the Senate, will be unable
to attend. In all it is understood that
the United States will be represented
by about half dozen men, members
of the two branches of Congress.
An event that will precede the for
year will be the dedication of the
Carnegie peace palace at The Hague
This ceremony will occur on Friday,
Aug 30, and will be attended by prac-
tically all the delegates to the confer
ence, representing all the civilized
countries of the world The formal
sessions of the conference will be-
gin Tuesday, Sept. 2, and will contin-
ue until Thursday, Sept a, inclusive.
Founded in 1887 by Sir Randall Gre
mer of the British House of Commons
the Interparliamentary Union was in
tended to perform some such function
in the way of international parliament
tary action as the Hague tribunal is
now performing for the executive
world The aim of the founders was
to bring about international agree
ments for legislative action by the
various governments on arbitration,
the promotion of commercial rela-
tions, granting of equal rights to all
nations and their citizens, and the
enjoyment of common privileges by
ALL
The Interparliamentary Union has
the support of all nations and main
tains a permanent bureau at The
Hague, of which the Hon. Chr. L..
Lang is the secretary general To
meet the expenses appropriations are
made annually by the national legis-
, latures, the Congress of the United
; States contributing $4,000 as its
share.
The membership of the union is
confined to actual members of the
national legislative bodies of the
! world Enrolled in its membership
are more than 1000 members of the
national legislative bodies of all
countries having parliaments, name
ly; Great Britain, France, Germany
, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Belgium,
/, Denmark, Greece, Holland, Norway,
Portugal, Rumania, Servia, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Japan and the
United States.
The conferences of the Interpar-
, liamentary Union are held annually
or biennially, as the case may be, and
usually in the parliamentary build
ings Of the government of the coun-
try entertaining the conference, The
| 1net cnnraranca was hold ar Ganaya
Switzerland, in September, 1912.
. A movement is already on foot for
the holding of the conference of 1916
In the United States, in view of the
Panama-Pacific exposition in San
Francisco during that year. The only
conference held In the United States
thus far was in 1904 1t was one of
the most notable gatherings that has
ever met for the promotion of closer
and more friendly relations between
the nations. AS the direct outcome
of this meeting the President of the
United States took the official action
which led to the second Hague con.
ference in 1907.
The lnterparliamentary Union is
absolutely non-partisan. 1t does not
concern itself with the internal af-
fairs OF any country 1t imposes no
obligations upon its members except
adherence to the principles of arbi-
tration as a means of settling inter-
national controversies.
Many of the members of the Con.
gress of the United States are men,
bers of the union, and they assert that
In the 26 years of it's existence 1t has
done great and practical service in the
cause of international peace. in the
promotion of international arbitration
and in cementing and developing the
friendly relations between the great
and smaller nations They say that
inasmuch as 1t numbers among its