Evening Post. THURSDAY. AUGUST 1, 1907. THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 28, 1 August 1907, Page 6

Evening Post. THURSDAY. AUGUST 1, 1907. THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

The foundation-stone of the Carnegio Palace of Peace at Tho Hague is reported to-day as having been laid by M. Nelidoff, the President of the Peace Conference, and the ceremony was tho occasion of a brilliant gathering, at which the delegates representing tho various Powers at the conference, manj local representatives, and "a vast concourso of the public" attended. Thr> building in which the present conference is holding its meetings is known as the Knights' Hall, and dates from the thirtnenth century, and i.he- change* is great to tho "oumptuous palace " for tho building of which, in the words of M. Nelidoll's Opening address at the conference, "a generous citizen of the United Slates has given a fortune." Om, may regret the broach with historical associations running back more than, six oi'ivturies ; ono may also regret that the housing of one oi the noblest and most hopeful of modern institutions should have been left to tho munificenceof an American millionaire; yet it is, at any i-ito, appropriate that an absolutely aniquo institution should have a building of its own, and on a princely scale. "In pel-forming the ceremony, M. Nelidoff," wo are told, "contrasted the ancient temples, dedicated to war, with tho present cult of peaco, and the international effqits to make peace a reality." It was an admirabio text, of wjiich, to judge from the character of his inaugural pddres3, tho Russian delegate -nay bo relied upon to have mado an admirabio use. Nothing, indeed, could, havo b^en better than the lone of thai, address, of which tho full reports are to hand by yesterday's Euglisn mml. In its mingling of hopefulness and caution, of optimism and common sense, i\rging tho nations to pitch thoir hopes higlj, but not to be disappointed by failure to attain the impossible, it effects the happiest possible combination of both the notes most needed at such a conferonce. The occasion was, indeed, one to inspire an orator. The conference is, as was pointed out by M. Van Tots, the Dutch Foreign Minister, in the spc-ech in which ho welcomed the delegates on behalf of Queen Wilhelmina, the most completely representative assembly of the countries of tho world that has ever met ; and its object is worthy of such a gathering. "It is a desire fpr peace," said M. Nelidoff, aflpr ho had been voted to tho chair, "that has led the different Governments to send their most eminent men from all parts of tho globo to discuss in common the most cherished interests of humanity. — namely, conciliation and justicj. 1 -' Iv more specific teTms he defined the objects of the conference as follows : — "On tho or.'3r hand, wo have to seek a means of bringing about an auiicdblo settlement of differences that may arise between different States, and thus prevent ruptures and armed conflicts between them. On the other hand, we hay« to endeavour, in the event of war breaking out, to mitigate its onerous effects alike upon the combatants as upon those indirectly affected." Tn an anti-militaTist demonstration at The Hague, of which tile opening of the conference was made the occasion, The Hague Convention was denounced as "a comedy on peace, and its convener, tho Tear, as an antagonist o! peaoe, he having dissolved the Duma the day tho Peace Conference opened." The deplorable differences between the Tsar and his people are not a matter of diroct international concern, but in the international sphere who can say that tho Tsar's "comedy on peace" has not already achieved solid practical results entitling him to our gratitude as one of the greatest of the world's benefactors? When the first Poace Conference met on his invitation nt Tho Hague, armed with no more executive authority than a debating society, its aims were regarded as visionaTy and futile, even by many of those who took part in it ; but there is no ground for scuffing und scepticism now. The establishment of a» International Arbitration Court, and the spread of an arbitrary as opposed to a belligerent bpirit, are the direct outcome of that conference, and thej may yet transform tho face of international politics. "Thus since 1899," says M. Nelidoff, "thirty-three arbitration conven: tions .have been concluded between difforont States. But there is still more. Four grave and complicated questions, capable of creating friction between the Powers, have bean taken bclwo The Hague Arbitration Court, and the com- , mission of enquiry established bj tha

Act of 1899 hz& had to consider, as everyone remembers, a case of infinjta gravity which might, without its happy intervention, have had the moat dangerous con-sequenc-cs. We can, therefoie", look with n'espeot upon the results of the activity of our predecessors at Thn Hague." AI. Nelidoff is certainly not overstating tho matter whan ho leaves it thus, [ sec-ing that the "case of infinite gravity" to which ho refers — ths attack upon British trawlers by Russian v.-arships at the Dogger Bank— might easily have resulted in war between Britain and Russia, with the chief Statos of Europe afterwards brought in on ono side or the other, if a rational and bloodless solution had not been open nt Tho Hague without loss of dignity to cither of the Powers. But il is with words, not of exultation or complacency, but of studied moderation, that the- president concludes his address in a roally noblo peroration. "However," he says, "let us not ba too ambitious. Let us not forgat that our means of action are limited; that nations are living beings just like individuals composing them ; that thay havo the same passions, aspirations, weaknesses, and impulses, and that if in our daily life courts of justice, in spite of the severity of the penalties with which they are armed, fail to prevent quarrels, brawls, and fights between individuals, it will be the same between nations, although the progress of conciliation and the progressive softoning^ of manners certainly ought to diminish the number of such cases. . . . Let us set bravely to work, our path lit up by the bright star of universal peace, which we shall never reach, but which will always guide us for the good of humanity, for whatever within the modest limits of ouv means we can do for individuals by lightening the burdsns of war, and for States by preventing conflicts, will' entitle tho Governments which we represent to the. gratitude of humanity." Tho efforts of tho first Peace Conference towards this glorious ideal are being worthily furthered by the secend. *