AT THE HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE : 111899 271 



he has placed this main figure at the summit of the monu 

 ment in something like a long pea-jacket, with an insuffi 

 cient mantle at the back, and a crown upon its head. 



The number of people with plans, schemes, notions, nos 

 trums, whimsies of all sorts, who press upon us and try 

 to take our time, is enormous ; and when to this is added 

 the pest of interviewers and photographers, life becomes 

 serious indeed. 



May 26. 



At two the committee on arbitration met, and, as it 

 is the largest of all, its session was held in the main hall 

 under the dome. The Eussian plan was presented, and 

 was found to embrace three distinct features : 



First, elements of a plan of mediation ; secondly, a plan 

 for international arbitration ; thirdly, a plan for the inter 

 national examination of questions arising between pow 

 ers, such examination being conducted by persons chosen 

 by each of the contestants. This last is a new feature, 

 and is known as a commission Internationale d enquete. 



The project for a plan of arbitration submits a number 

 of minor matters to compulsory arbitration, but the main 

 mass of differences to voluntary arbitration. 



But there was no definite proposal for a tribunal, and 

 there was an evident feeling of disappointment, which 

 was presently voiced by Sir Julian Pauncefote, who, in 

 the sort of plain, dogged way of a man who does not 

 purpose to lose what he came for, presented a resolution 

 looking definitely to the establishment, here and now, of 

 an international tribunal of arbitration. After some dis 

 cussion, the whole was referred to a subcommittee, to 

 put this and any other proposals submitted into shape 

 for discussion by the main committee. In the course of 

 the morning the American delegation received an answer 

 to its telegram to the State Department, which was all 

 that could be desired, since it left us virtually free to take 

 the course which circumstances might authorize, in view 

 of the main object to be attained. But it came too late to 



