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away entirely with the trouble and expense of a special council。
This I amended by adding the Netherlands minister of foreign
affairs as ex…officio president； there being various reasons for
this； and among these the fact that； without some such provision；
the Netherlands would have no representative in the council。
The plan and my amendment were well received； and I trust that
our full and friendly discussion of these and various matters
connected with them will produce a good effect in the committees。
Count Nigra expressed himself to me as personally most earnestly
in favor of arbitration； but it was clear that his position was
complicated by the relations of his country to Germany as one of
the Triple Alliance； and the same difficulty was observable in
the case of Count Welsersheimb； the representative of Austria；
the third ally in the combination of which Germany is the head。
In the course of our breakfast； Baron d'Estournelles made a
statement which I think impressed every person present。 It was
that； as he was leaving Paris； Jaures； the famous socialist； whom
he knows well； said to him； 〃Go on； do all you can at The Hague；
but you will labor in vain： you can accomplish nothing there；
your schemes will fail； and we shall triumph；〃 or words to that
effect。 So clear an indication as this of the effect which a
failure of the conference to produce a good scheme of arbitration
will have in promoting the designs of the great international
socialist and anarchist combinations cannot fail to impress every
thinking man。
Dined in the evening with the French minister at this court； and
very pleasantly。 There were present M。 Leon Bourgeois； the French
first delegate； and the first delegates from Japan； China；
Mexico； and Turkey； with subordinate delegates from other
countries。 Sitting next the lady at the right of the host； I
found her to be the wife of the premier； M。 Piersoon； minister of
finance； and very agreeable。 I took in to dinner Madame Behrends；
wife of the Russian charge； evidently a very thoughtful and
accomplished woman； who was born； as she told me； of English
parents in the city of New York when her father and mother were
on their way to England。 I found her very interesting； and her
discussions of Russia； as well as of England and the Netherlands；
especially good。
In the smoking…room I had a long talk with M。 Leon Bourgeois；
who； according to the papers； is likely to be appointed minister
of foreign affairs in the new French cabinet。 He dwelt upon the
difficulties of any plan for a tribunal； but seemed ready to do
what he could for the compromise plan； which is all that； during
some time past； we have hoped to adopt。
June 15。
Early this morning Count Munster called； wishing to see me
especially； and at once plunged into the question of the immunity
of private property from seizure on the high seas。 He said that
he had just received instructions from his government to join us
heartily in bringing the question before the conference； that his
government； much as it inclines to favor the principle； could not
yet see its way to commit itself fully； that its action must； of
course； depend upon the conduct of other powers in the matter； as
foreshadowed by discussions in the conference； but that he was to
aid us in bringing it up。
I told him I was now preparing a draft of a memorial to the
conference giving the reasons why the subject ought to be
submitted； and that he should have it as soon as completed。
This matter being for the time disposed of； we took up the state
of the arbitration question； and the consequences of opposition
by Germany and her two allies to every feasible plan。
He was very much in earnest； and declared especially against
compulsory arbitration。 To this I answered that the plan thus far
adopted contemplated entirely voluntary arbitration； with the
exception that an obligatory system was agreed upon as regards
sundry petty matters in which arbitration would assist all the
states concerned； and that if he disliked this latter feature；
but would agree to the others； we would go with him in striking
it out； though we should vastly prefer to retain it。
He said； 〃Yes； you have already stricken out part of it in the
interest of the United States；〃 referring to the features
concerning the Monroe Doctrine； the regulation of canals； rivers；
etc。
〃Very true；〃 I answered； 〃and if there are any special features
which affect unfavorably German policy or interests； move to
strike them out； and we will heartily support you。〃
He then dwelt in his usual manner on his special hobby； which is
that modern nations are taking an entirely false route in
preventing the settlement of their difficulties by trained
diplomatists； and intrusting them to arbitration by men
inexperienced in international matters； who really cannot be
unprejudiced or uninfluenced； and he spoke with especial contempt
of the plan for creating a bureau； composed； as he said； of
university professors and the like； to carry on the machinery of
the tribunal。
Here I happened to have a trump card。 I showed him Sir Julian
Pauncefote's plan to substitute a council composed of all the
ministers of the signatory powers residing at The Hague； with my
amendment making the Dutch minister of foreign affairs its
president。 This he read and said he liked it； in fact； it seemed
to remove a mass of prejudice from his mind。
I then spoke very earnestly to himmore so than ever
beforeabout the present condition of affairs。 I told him that
the counselors in whom the Emperor trustedsuch men as himself
and the principal advisers of his Majestyought never to allow
their young sovereign to be exposed to the mass of hatred；
obloquy； and opposition which would converge upon him from all
nations in case he became known to the whole world as the
sovereign who had broken down the conference and brought to
naught the plan of arbitration。 I took the liberty of telling him
what the Emperor said to me regarding the count himselfnamely；
that what the conference was most likely to need was good common
sense； and that he was sending Count Munster because he possessed
that。 This seemed to please him； and I then went on to say that
he of all men ought to prevent； by all means； placing the young
Emperor in such a position。 I dwelt on the gifts and graces of
the young sovereign； expressed my feeling of admiration for his
noble ambitions； for his abilities； for the statesmanship he had
recently shown； for his grasp of public affairs； and for his way
of conciliating all classes； and then dwelt on the pity of making
such a monarch an object of hatred in all parts of the world。
He seemed impressed by this； but said the calling of the
conference was simply a political trickthe most detestable
trick ever practised。 It was done； he said mainly to embarrass
Germany； to glorify the young Russian Emperor； and to put Germany
and nations which Russia dislikes into a false position。 To this
I answered； 〃If this be the case； why not trump the Russian
trick？ or； as the poker…players say； 'Go them one better；' take
them at their word； support a good tribunal of arbitration more
efficient even than the Russians have dared to propose； let your
sovereign throw himself heartily into the movement and become a
recognized leader and power here； we w