The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-10
Some Friends Set Right.

some frtenOS sci UiKut.
We shall make as brief replies "a
possible to several esteemed CORE
spondentS who write in criticism OF
our remarks about Colonel RoOsE-
vEIr's attack on the Wilson Admin
istration for ''cowa rdice or odious NY
pocrlsy" in its failure to assert an
American guarantee Of Belgian neu.
trality by demanding the enforcement
Of the Hague conventions"
Mr.. WILLIAM II. STEWART Of To.
runto writes:
You assert that Great Britain never
ratified the Hague conventions of 1907.
Permit me TO correct this erroneous i'm
preston. Great Britain ratified the
Hague conventions OF 1907 in 1909 and
France ratified them in 1910. There 10
some doubt about Servia. but as she re-
ferred Austria 10 some provisions IN the
Hague conventions in her reply TO the
notorious ultimatum Il Is presumed that
she had also accepted them. The story
that Great Britain and France had not
ratified these conventions was circulated
BY DR.. DERNBrRG and his satellites. I
thank you for inserting this emendation
and wish to commend THE SrN for the
general excellence OF its editorials and
for the high morality OF their COM
ments"
It is Mr. STEWART. not THE Sun.
that is in error here We venture
TO ask him to observe that we have
not asserted. as he says. the failure
Of Great Britain to ratify 1.-THE
Hague conventions OF 1907" What
we did assert was that Great Brit.
ain has never by ratification become
party to Convention V. of the
series. namely. the convention re.
specting the rights and duties Of neu.
tral Powers and persons in case Of
war on land. Mr.. STEWARDS mistake
Is In supposinG that 'the conventions
Of 1907" were ratified or failed OF
ratification as unit The fact Is
that the fifteen conventions OF the
series of 1907 were disposed of sep.
arately by the Governments whose
representatives had signed. So It
came about that while Great Britain
did on November 81. 1909, uncon-
dItionally ratlfy Conventions IT,. III.
w.. W.. VII. NJ. and NV. and also
did ratify with reservations Conven-
tiOns VIII. and ~. she failed TO
ratify Conventions T.. ". Y. XII.
XIII. and Nv. or course in this
question we are concerned only with
". which was signed with reser.
walton by British representatives at
The Hague, but never subsequently,
ratified by the British Government.
Mr.. STEwART Is likewise in error II
ne suproses there Is any doubt about
the failure Of Servia To ratifv Con
ventlon V. Servia signed thirteen Of
the fifteen conventions. but ratified
none Of them.
Mr.. MAURICE LfoN. lawyer who.
ns our readers know. has written
much and effectively. II not always
judicially. In the interest Of the
Allies, submits these remarks:
with the utmost respect for THE SUN.
me writer Is OF opinion that In the in
depreciation OF the Hague conventions
Colonel ROOSEVELT is right Article 90
Of Convention ". on which you lay
stress was n Joker sneaked In b. Baron
MARscHALL Won BiEBrRsTElS II might
rs well be said that the convention was
never binding on any of the contracting
parties at all as that IL ceased 10 he
binding by reason Of Seryia never hay
ing ratified II; for It left It to any
Power. by adopting a casus holli trumped
up for the purpose. to involve n nom
eignatory Power for the very object of
claiming afterward that the convention
was ipso facto rescndcd. And this Is
Ne very thing that happened In Europe
an that agonlzing last week OF July, 1914.
Besides, the conventions were more
than a contract; they were a declaration
Of humane principles a code OF interna-
tional Justice. True, az you say, we TO
served the right not TO fight to uphold
them, while Germany reserved the priv
llcge OF disregarding them utterly But
neither We nor Germany could ever
again he heard to say that they did not
smbody what should control in case of
war between any nations, signatory or
not. for then why did we and why did
Germany cause them to be ratified?
Your error, II may be permitted 10
call II such In all Difference. lies In the
fact that YOU take strict legal posi-
ss.o toward matter which really il
equitable in It's essence"
THL Sun has expressed itself yer,
unfortunately II it has left in 80 in
tcllifeDt mind az Mr.. Lions am