Show P OWL RA I 1 f AT THE 11 EM I 1 4 IN f I 1 7 n I 1 americans will work I 1 for I 1 permanency I 1 I 1 of congress washington juno june 9 naturally having in a way fathered the second hague conference the Wk washington tallington government has shown tho the deepest in in every detail of the program of import important Amt subjects to be considered by that conference of the first order of importance according cording to the 1 american view is to the proposal that improve improvements menta be made in tho tile provisions odthe of the existing convention rela five tive to a peaceful settlement of international ter disputes as regards the court of arbitration and the international coi commission masslon of inquiry instructions of the american delegates on this point pe are known to be explicit they we axe to do everything in their power to influence the conference to enlarge the powers of the permanent hague tribunal in dealing with arbitm arbitration tIon cases and above all the effort is to be made to bring more business before the tribunal to induce nations to havo have ma more frequent recourse to this tribunal for the settlement of their disputes the Tho president and secretary root are disappointed at the very small issue from tho August tribunal since its creation it has passed upon just four cases first was the pius plus case involving the disposition of the fund set apart by mexico to satisfy the catholic church in california for church property taken over by tho the state second there was the settlement of the question growing out ot the blockade of 0 the Vone venezuela zuela ports by the allied powers third was the alaskan boundary question between america and great britain fourth was nas the decision of a question that had arisen between japan and great grea t britain as to the exemption from taxation of foreign dwellers in japan all but the last of these cases were oe of american origin in other words although serious international disputes have arisen and been adjusted diplomatically or by force 0 of arms since the creation of the hague tr bunal america and great britain have bave been the only parties to resort to arbitration positions americans will take the american delegates will also take an advanced position in the dis I 1 cission and treatment of the second article in the hague pro program grami namely the additions to the laws and customs of war on and details ol 01 those these propositions relate to the op opening elling ot the rights ot neutrals on I 1 land etc 3 11 1 v t it Is understood d that an attempt I 1 will be made by the american delegates to reach a general agreement as to tho the issuance of a declaration of war in ia ample time wore tho the beginning of actual hostilities to ensure protection for tho the rights of neutral in tho bollig orent countries and for neutral trado trade no r country haa has taken a moro more advanced position than america in the liberal treatment of neutrals on tho the high sou in time of war therefore rhe tho the american delegates dolo gatea will give strong support to the third article ot of tho the pro program grami which in r proposes ao td minimize the exorcise of the right of bombardment and tho the seizure of private Nafe property ill sea on tho uio latter point it may be recal recalled lel that america was tho the first among nations to propose that private e property ertson on the tho should he be treated exactly as la Is property on land in time of 11 war that it should be exempt from sel seizure zuro if it not mado up of contraband band 0 of war and la Is seized to meet naval necessities proper com compensation pensa should be made maide to tho the owners america also takes a very iberal view ut contraband of war and her lier delegate delegates will seek to limit the list by international ter agrepine nt something never hereto heretofore foro accomplish od so as to avoid avold unjust seizures of private property america in spanish war in tho the spanish war america wag was particularly indulgent in the treatment of spanish ships that were caught in foreign ports at the outbreak of the war and it may be jid 1 ads ded spain reciprocated in th same a n e spirit the effort will be made to give what was a mere more courtesy at that unto tho the force of international law by some appropriate enactment at tho the hague conference Amor american leah military strategists rely upon the submarine mine and floating torpedo as a means of coast defense hut but the injuries sustained by neutral shipping during and many months after the conclusion of the russo japanese Japa neso war has inclined tho authorities ties to the belief that some means must be found to restrict strict ro this mischief to a minimum clience the americans Amer fans at the hague will join in any promising effort to lay down rules limiting the zones within which mines and torpedoes may be planted certainly tire american delegates will give hearty support to the fourth and last article of the permanent program suggested by russia namely to make additions to the articles of the first conference regarding garling re the application of modem warfare of the principles of tho the geneva genova convention this convention dates back to 1864 and the american delegates will do all in their power to make the new rules conform to the developments of modern warfare though not offering the s same ame prom ise so of satisfactory agreement as the four subjects on the regular program above referred to of far greater interest to tho the public are two propositions one relating to the limitation of arina armaments ments and the other concern ing the famous drago doctrine which may bo be discussed it tho the conference so wills tho american attitude I 1 the attitude of the american toward these subjects toward which there has be en qu much speculation Is after all reasonably clear A further pershal of secretary roots utterance dis cloo tho the attitude of tho the american delegates though of course not the details of their instructions N in substance their instructions are to the effect that from the beginning america bad had held that the limitation of armaments being a legacy from the first conference cannot be ignored and should bo be discussed at the second conference realizing that from its isolated position the united states is less affected by the needs of great armaments than arc are the closely crowded countries of europe mr root believes that the very fact of our isolation and comparative freedom from danger on this score makes it possible for america to advance the proposal with inore advantage than any other nation and without any question of our no io matter what scheme of limitation is urged it cannot be said that america is in any danger of reaching that limitation in many years to come but regardless of the action or non action of great britain and spain the two powers that havo have johned with america in supporting the tho proposal to discuss this great question the effort to have it considered by the conference will be made the drago doctrine originated with america the famous drago doctrine as will be presented in EC re modified form to the th second hague conference not as one or of th articles of the set program but as one for optional discussion emst of ot course chui coui r a be urged with all the ability or oc the trained diplomats of the american delegation it will be represented by them that the attempt to collect debts duo dud the citizens of one nation by the government of another has had most deplorable consequences that it results in tha the subjugation of weaker nations that all principles of justice are violated and that unscrupulous claimants find opportunity to collect enormous sums in excess of or their reasonable claims the american proposition is sure suto to encounter counter eju strong opposition from the creditor nations of europe but it will be urged as a matter 0 or justice it is scarcely expected ted that any complete completo agreement can be reached to refrain from the exorcise of force where a debtor nation is clearly guilty of fraud and bad bal faith in its dealings with biti creditors but but it is ig hoped that the conf conference orenco may be induced to restrict ta to very narrow limits the exercise of force in such cases the american delegates will urge that nearly all of those these claims arc are proper subjects for arbitration whereby exorbitant demands of relentless creditors may bo be modified and be reduced by impartial Impart fal judges secretary root has always stated that nothing is to bo be accomplished in this second conference by coercion and the american delegates are thor hughly impregnated with that belief I 1 |