LX
THE FIRST PEACE CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE (concluded)
Turning point in the arbitration question · Professor Zorn · Madame Ratazzi · Professor Martens · Mirza Rhiza Khan · Letter from Frau Büchner · Trip to Amsterdam · At the photographer’s · Limitation of armaments · Two important sessions · Colonel von Schwarzhoff · Limitation rejected · Baron Bildt and Bourgeois · Ball at Staal’s · The Grotius celebration · Letter from Andrew D. White · Article 27 · Departure · International Inquiry Commission · Beldimann in opposition · Again the Inquiry Commission · Beldimann’s ultimatum · Acte final
June 15. In the afternoon a reception given by Monsieur and Madame d’Estournelles. The whole Congress comes and goes. Dr. White is buried in a conversation with Count Münster. Then he comes to me.
“If you can bring any pressure to bear on influential persons, Baroness, do it now. Every possible measure must be employed to clear away the difficulties that are springing up.... The most important question before our Congress—that of a court of arbitration—has reached a turning point; that is what I was talking with Count Münster about.”
I promised to go to one of my friends staying at The Hague, and in high favor with the German Emperor’s uncle, the Grand Duke of Baden, and urge him to apply to the prince in these critical circumstances.
Our host introduced me to Professor Zorn. First of all I thank him for his denial in regard to “Zorn’s speech,” of which he still knows absolutely nothing.
“In fact, no such speech was ever made,” replied the professor. “I took part in the discussion, but I made no speech and made no such remarks as many newspapers attributed to me.”
The conversation turns on the Bloch lectures.
“Pure fallacies,” said the professor. “Military men think that a war of the future will be less bloody than those of the past.”
“Less bloody! with these weapons, with this tenfold faster firing per minute—”