Show 14 Student Li f debate But a few constructive measures were advanced thoroughly discussed and favorably acted upon Our representatives favored the principle of protection to commerce or the immunity of private merchant property during times of war It has long been advocated bv our countrv that we should not interfere with the commercial relationship of the nations Merchant vessels should be allowed to operate normally and under the protection of an international law even between the hostile nations At the opening of the conference Cheat Britain refused to enter into such an agreement as did also all the other great nations except Germany It was argued that interference with commerce constitutes one of the most potent and effectual methods of warfare and does perhaps more than any other thing toward bringing war to an immediate close After three months of careful consideration a vote was taken and nearly of all the nations were ready to enter into the agreement that commerce should be protected for the welfare of the great mass of humanity whose means of support is cut off when commerce is checked and the great industries of the country brought to a standstill two-thir- ds The majority of the pow'ers were willing to pledge themselves to a policy that would make vessels engaged in the transportation of merchandise as safe in times of war as in times of peace It is probable that the next con-feien- ce will convert every nation to this idea and it will become a binding rule cf conduct between all nations The last conference sowed seeds that will bring forth good fruit in the near future A elated measure that passed by the consent of all is that all mail captured in transit shall be forwarded at once and unopened to its destination An important measure providing for a prize court of appeals counwas adopted by the forty-fiv- e tries Heretofore all vessels captured in war have been disposed of at the pleasure of the nation that captured the prize as it is called The new' regulation makes it possible for the owner of the captured property to appeal to a court made up of repiesentatives of the different nations This constitutes the first court ever established for the administration of justice in international law and it was established by the unanimous consent of all the nations of the earth The method of selecting the judges or members of this court w'as likewise unani- 1 |