The Adair County news., 1915-02-17
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NEUTRAL nations
Venezuela Suggests Worldwide
Conference In Washington.
TO DRAFT CODE OF RIGHTS

American Unions Commission APP
pointed Recently by All American
Republics Excepting Mexico.
The government of Venezuela has
formally proposed a great information
al conference in Washington to con-
slider and revise the rules of interna-
honal law regarding the rights Of neu-
trail nations in time of war. The Vene-
Zuelan proposal is one of the biggest
and broadcast that has come out OF the
feeling among neutral nations gener-
ally that the war in Europe points the
need for a definite determination of
neutral rights as affected by the oper-
alton of belligerent nations and their
cruisers in a struggle like that now
being fought in Europe
This proposal was submitted by Ven
ezuela, through its minister in Wash
ington, DR.. Santos A. Dominica, to the
governing board of the Pan-American
union. The governing board will refer
recently created upon motion Of DR..
Romulo S. Naon, the ambassador from
Argentina, who acted on instructions
from his government
What makes the Venezuelan project
exceedingly important and farreaching
is the fact that it does not limit the
suggestion for such an international
conference to the twenty-one nations
Of North, South and Central America
which have membership in the Pan
American union. The Venezuelan idea
contemplates that the Washington con-
ference shall embrace representatives
from every one of the neutral nations,
that all the neutral nations be invited
to participate in the deliberations and
that the work of the Washington con-
ference be submitted to a congress of
all the nations, including not only
those which are neutral. but also those
which are belligerents.
General Andrade Author of Idea.
The author of the suggestion for this
great conference of neutrals is General
Ignacio Andrade, who is now the min
lister of foreign affairs Of Venezuela,
who submitted the proposal on behalf
Of his government after comforting at
Caracas with the leading statesmen of
that country.
General Andrade was president of
Venezuela twelve years ago and is a
brother Of Don Jose Andrade, who for
some years was minister plenipoten-
tiary and envoy extraordinary from
Venezuela in Washington.
The written proposal of the Venezue-
Ian government is not to be made pub
lie until after it has been submitted to
the special commission of the Pan
American union. which was appointed
several weeks ago by unanimous vote
of every American republic except
Mexico with instructions to consider
problems growing out of the war as
affecting neutrals and to report recon-
mendations to the governing board of
the Pan-American union
Define Neutral Rights.
The proposal points out that neutral
nations appear to be anxious to have
their rights. as well as the new prob
lens affecting those rights, revised and
definitely defined
| DR.. Dominica. the Venezuelan minis
| ter here. has been informally consult
ing with the members Of the diplomatic
corps from all neutral nations repre-
scented in Washington and with those
of neutral European and Asiatic ma
tionS and anuuainfinr tbon, with tbo
details of the Andrade idea for the pro-
posed conference. AS q result Of these
| informal conversations, diplomats rep
! resenting the different European and
other neutral nations have been con-
| sultinS their governments and inform
| ing them of the plan.
Although diplomats representing neu-
trails have only been discussing the mat
ter informally and can take no steps
to bind their governments without in.
structions from their foreign offices, the
Venezuelan idea appears to have been
received favorably.
1t is not the purpose of the venezue-
new rules of international law or a neu
trail made code that would be binding
upon belligerents who were not repre-
sented in the conference. The idea is
that the neutrals shall first hold their
great conference in Washington and
consider all the problems growing out
Of the war that affect them The idea
then is to reach an agreement along
definite lines as to what should be done
to clearly define the rights Of neutrals.
After this has been done and after the
war in Europe Is over. the work of the
Washington conference would be
placed before a congress Of nations,
and In this second congress the neutral