Ambassador Tower to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.—Paraphrase.]

(Mr. Tower had an interview with Professor Martens January 22. The latter says the Russian Government prefers the last half of May or the beginning of June as the date of meeting for The Hague Conference, and he will propose that date to the Dutch Government. He says also that it is intended to make the organization the same as that of the First Conference with equality of participation, each country having 1 vote, though many more countries have been invited now than before, and there will probably be 47 delegations present altogether. He declares emphatically that Russia has no wish or intention to limit or prescribe the subjects which shall be presented to the conference for discussion, but on the contrary the Rusisan Government desires to leave each country free to bring any subject that it sees fit before the conference, with discussion and determination. He suggests, however, that it will be far better to deal with particular subject in the open conference if an announcement has been made or any intimation given beforehand that it is the intent of a certain government to present a certain subject or subjects to the conference for discussion. Such an intimation may be given to the Russian Government through diplomatic channels and will then be notified by it to the other countries in the final protocol calling the conference together. Whilst he declares that this method is not obligatory in any respect, he strongly recommends it, because otherwise if a subject, such as disarmament, for instance, or the forcible collection of debts, were presented to the conference without notice the result might be that some of the delegations would plead surprise and, under the excuse of not having instructions, would turn aside and refuse to take part in the discussion, thus leaving the subject without standing in court. He thinks it would be better to have a distinctly hostile vote after due discussion than to allow any question thus to go by default. Mr. Tower says that Professor Martens will remain in Berlin until after February 1, and he will have ample time to transmit to him any communication sent from the Secretary of State.)