for merchant ships. Abolition of the right to torpedo merchant ships in wartime. 12. All belligerents to renounce war contributions or indemnities in any form, but the money spent on the maintenance of prisoners and all contributions levied during the war to be returned. 13. Commercial treaties not to be based on the peace treaty. Each country may act independently with respect to its commercial policy, but all countries to engage to renounce an economic blockade after the war. 14. The conditions of peace should be settled by a peace congress, consisting of delegates elected by the people and confirmed by Parliament. Diplomatists must engage not to conclude secret treaties, which hereby are declared contrary to the rights of the people and consequently void. 15. Gradual disarmament by land and sea and the establishment of a non-military system. The instructions to M. Skobeleff end by recommending him to seek to remove all obstacles to the meeting of the Stockholm Conference and to secure the granting of passports. [N. Y. Tribune, Oct. 22, 1917.] PEACE PROGRAMS THE "MINIMUM PROGRAM" OF THE DURABLE PEACE [This program was agreed upon at an international gathering held at The Hague from the seventh to the tenth of April, 1915. The meeting was arranged by the "Dutch Anti-War Council" (or Anti-Oorlog Raad). The United States of America, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Hungary, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland were represented and letters of sympathy were received from Denmark, France, Italy, Russia and Spain. The object of the meeting was not to suggest steps to bring the war to an end, but to consider by what principles the future peace of the world could be best guaranteed. After full discussion the program was unanimously adopted. A series of very valuable studies by international committees of experts, dealing in detail with the problems unsolved in this program have been published in two volumes under the title Recueil de Rapports sur les Différents Points du Programme Minimum. Nijhoff. The Hague, 1916. See also Bourne, "Towards Enduring Peace."] 1. No annexation or transfer of territory shall be made contrary to the interests and wishes of the population concerned. Where possible their consent shall be obtained by plébiscite or otherwise. 2. The States shall guarantee to the various nationalities, included in their boundaries, equality before the law, religious liberty and the free use of their native languages. 3. The States shall agree to introduce in their colonies, protectorates and spheres of influence, liberty of commerce, or at least equal treatment for all nations. 4. The work of the Hague Conferences with a view to the peaceful organization of the Society of Nations shall be developed. The Hague Conference shall be given a permanent organization and meet at regular intervals. 5. The States shall agree to submit all their disputes to peaceful settlement. For this purpose there shall be created, in addition to the existent Hague Court of Arbitration (a) a permanent Court of International Justice; (b) a permanent International Council of Investigation and Conciliation. 6. The States shall bind themselves to take concerted action, diplomatic, economic or military, in case any State should resort to military measures instead of submitting the dispute to judicial decision or to the mediation of the Council of Investigation and Conciliation. 7. The States shall agree to reduce their armaments. 8. In order to facilitate the reduction of naval armaments, the right of capture shall be abolished and the freedom of the seas assured. 9. Foreign policy shall be under the effective control of the Parliaments of the respective nations. Secret treaties shall be void. |