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two ideas in one articlethat is； the idea which the article now
expresses； and Crozier's idea of stating the general principle to
which the bullets should conformnamely； that of not making a
wound more cruel than necessary； but the amendment was lost。
July 22。
Sir Julian Pauncefote called to discuss with us the signing of
the Acte Final。 There seems to be general doubt as to what is the
best manner of signing the conventions； declarations； etc。； and
all remains in the air。
In the morning the American delegation met and Captain Mahan
threw in a bomb regarding article 27； which requires that when
any two parties to the conference are drifting into war； the
other powers should consider it a duty （devoir） to remind them of
the arbitration tribunal； etc。 He thinks that this infringes the
American doctrine of not entangling ourselves in the affairs of
foreign states； and will prevent the ratification of the
convention by the United States Senate。 This aroused earnest
debate； Captain Mahan insisting upon the omission of the word
〃devoir；〃 and Dr。 Holls defending the article as reported by the
subcommittee； of which he is a member； and contending that the
peculiar interests of America could be protected by a
reservation。 Finally； the delegation voted to insist upon the
insertion of the qualifying words； 〃autant que les circonstances
permettent；〃 but this decision was afterward abandoned。
July 23。
Met at our Minister Newel's supper Sir Henry Howard； who told me
that the present Dutch ministry； with Piersoon at its head and De
Beaufort as minister of foreign affairs； is in a very bad way；
that its 〃subserviency to Italy；〃 in opposition to the demands of
the Vatican for admittance into the conference； and its
difficulties with the socialists and others； arising from the
police measures taken against Armenian； Finnish； New Turkish； and
other orators who have wished to come here and make the
conference and the city a bear…garden ； have led both the extreme
partiesthat is； the solid Roman Catholic party on one side； and
the pretended votaries of liberty on the otherto hate the
ministry equally。 He thinks that they will join hands and oust
the ministry just as soon as the conference is over。
Some allowance is to be made for the fact that Sir Henry is a
Roman Catholic： while generally liberal； he evidently looks at
many questions from the point of view of his church。＇9＇
＇9＇ As it turned out； he was right： the ministry was ousted； but
not so soon as he expected； for the catastrophe did not arrive
until about two years later。 Then came in a coalition of high
Calvinists and Roman Catholics which brought in the Kuyper
ministry。
July 24。
For some daysin fact； ever since Captain Mahan on the 22d
called attention to article 27 of the arbitration convention as
likely to be considered an infringement of the Monroe
Doctrineour American delegation has been greatly perplexed。 We
have been trying to induce the French； who proposed article 27；
and who are as much attached to it as is a hen to her one chick；
to give it up； or； at least； to allow a limiting or explanatory
clause to be placed with it。 Various clauses of this sort have
been proposed。 The article itself makes it the duty of the other
signatory powers； when any two nations are evidently drifting
toward war； to remind these two nations that the arbitration
tribunal is open to them。 Nothing can be more simple and natural；
but we fear lest； when the convention comes up for ratification
in the United States Senate； some over…sensitive patriot may seek
to defeat it by insisting that it is really a violation of
time…honored American policy at home and abroadthe policy of
not entangling ourselves in the affairs of foreign nations； on
one side； and of not allowing them to interfere in our affairs；
on the other。
At twelve this day our delegation gave a large luncheon at the
Oude Doelenamong those present being Ambassadors De Staal；
Count Nigra； and Sir Julian Pauncefote； Bourgeois； Karnebeek；
Basily； Baron d'Estournelles； Baron de Bildt； and othersto
discuss means of getting out of the above…mentioned difficulty。 A
most earnest effort was made to induce the French to allow some
such modification as has been put into other articlesnamely；
the words； 〃autant que possible；〃 or some limiting clause to the
same effect； but neither Bourgeois nor D'Estournelles；
representing France； would think of it for a moment。 Bourgeois；
as the head of the French delegation； spoke again and again； at
great length。 Among other things； he gave us a very long
disquisition on the meaning of 〃devoir〃 as it stands in the
articlea disquisition which showed that the Jesuits are not the
only skilful casuists in the world。
I then presented my project of a declaration of the American
doctrine to be made by us on signing。 It had been scratched off
with a pencil in the morning； hastily； but it was well received
by Bourgeois； D'Estournelles； and all the others。
Later we held a meeting of our own delegation； when； to my
project of a declaration stating that nothing contained in any
part of the convention signed here should be considered as
requiring us to intrude； mingle； or entangle ourselves in
European politics or internal affairs； Low made an excellent
addition to the effect that nothing should be considered to
require any abandonment of the traditional attitude of the United
States toward questions purely American； and； with slight verbal
changes； this combination was adopted。
July 25。
All night long I have been tossing about in my bed and thinking
of our declaration of the Monroe Doctrine to be brought before
the conference to…day。 We all fear that the conference will not
receive it； or will insist on our signing without it or not
signing at all。
On my way to The Hague from Scheveningen I met M。 Descamps； the
eminent professor of international law in the University of
Louvain； and the leading delegate in the conference as regards
intricate legal questions connected with the arbitration plan。 He
thought that our best way out of the difficulty was absolutely to
insist on a clause limiting the devoir imposed by article 27； and
to force it to a vote。 He declared that； in spite of the French；
it would certainly be carried。 This I doubt。 M。 Descamps knows；
perhaps； more of international law than of the temper of his
associates。