Many attempts have been made during the past century to both diminish the number of wars and also to decrease their attendant horrors. The longest step in this direction was that taken by the International Peace Conference at the Hague, held from May 18 to July 29, 1899, at the invitation of the Russian Government.

"I. A Convention for the pacific adjustment of international disputes.

"II. A Convention in respect to the laws and usages of war on land.

"III. A Convention for the adaptation of the rules of maritime warfare to the principles of the Geneva Convention of August 22, 1864.

"IV. Three declarations in respect to the following subjects:

"(a) The prohibition of the use of projectiles or explosives from balloons, or by other methods.

"(b) The prohibition of the employment of projectiles which have for their sole purpose to diffuse asphyxiating or other deleterious gases.

"(c) The prohibition of bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body; such as bullets with hard jackets, which do not entirely cover the projectile, or are provided with incisions."

The text of these agreements will be found in Appendix A to this subject.