THE HAGUE CONFERENCE

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43113, 4 July 1907, Page 4

THE HAGUE CONFERENCE

Advices from The Hague before the Conference opened stated that it was proposed to open the Peace Conference on Ist, June, and that “in any case,! the date will be. one of the first days in June.” We are now well into June, but still the meeting of the- conference has not eventuated. Britain and the United -States, and probably Japan, are understood to be favourable to the discussion of limitation. According to j aj cablegram published lately, Italy gives a guarded consent. France and Russiai are considered to be doubtful, Germany and Austria hostile. A Paris message to- an, Erfflish newspaper states: —“French feeling about a reduction of armaments may be summed up in a very few words. “We ask for nothing better, but we will not take the first step l .’’ Frenchmen contend that, they are armed for -defence only, and'that the days when French military power was a disturbing factor for European pence have passed. Discreetly in the press, but openly in private conversation, it is pointed out that, Germany is now the.nation to be feared, and that she must not only give the signal, but begin the work of undoing a, state of things* lor which she is responsible. M. Clemen-ce-a'u said the other day that he was, afraid the events of last year .were being too soon forgotten. General Andre’s disastrous experiment in reduction! jof armaments cost France eight millions sterling to make good, besides the humiliation of a panic which M. Clemenceau need not fear will be soon forgotten. Therefore, though the French Government will welcome in a becoming manner any proposal to discuss the question of reducing military burdens, and will gladly agree to any solution which may be accepted by the Great Powers, France will not take the initiative of making proposals, nor will she act on an understanding until Germany sets the example. The Republic -stanlds for peace, and even Frenchmen who are not Republicans have no wish for war, but force of circumstances makes the nation scepticalabout, the realisation of the pacifist ideal. As Le Temps says:—“There were generous spirits in France before 1870 who preached the reconciliation of nations and the abolition of standing armies. After Sedan they gave up their propaganda. After the lesson of Algeciras we hope that our pacifistes of to-day will do the same.”