AT THE HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE: V-1899 343 



as to signing the three conventions in the Acte Final 

 namely, those relating to arbitration, to the extension of 

 the Geneva rules, and to the laws and customs of war. 

 We voted to sign the first, to send the second to Washing 

 ton without recommendation, and to send the third with 

 a recommendation that it be there signed. The reason 

 for sending the second to Washington without recom 

 mendation is that Captain Mahan feels that, in its 

 present condition, it may bring on worse evils than it 

 prevents. He especially and, I think, justly objects to 

 allowing neutral hospital ships to take on board the 

 wounded and shipwrecked in a naval action, with power 

 to throw around them the safeguards of neutrality and 

 carry them off to a neutral port whence they can again 

 regain their own homes and resume their status as com 

 batants. 



The reason for submitting the third to Washington, 

 with a recommendation to sign it there, is that consider 

 able work will be required in conforming our laws of 

 war to the standard proposed by the conference, and that 

 it is best that the Washington authorities look it over 

 carefully. 



I was very anxious to sign all three conventions, but 

 the first is the great one, and I yielded my views on the 

 last two. 



The powers are to have until the 31st of December, if 

 they wish it, before signing. 



July 27. 



Early in the morning to a meeting of our American 

 delegation, Mr. van Karnebeek being present. We 

 agreed to sign the arbitration convention, attaching to 

 our signatures a reservation embodying our declaration 

 of July 25 regarding the maintenance of our American 

 policy the Monroe Doctrine. A telegram was received 

 from the State Department approving of this declaration. 



The imbroglio regarding the forcing of the Pope into 

 the midst of the signatory powers continues. The ul- 

 tramontanes are pushing on various delegates, especially 



