June6。
InthemorningSirJulianPauncefotecalled，andagainwentovercertaindetailsintheAmerican，British，andRussianplansofarbitration，discussingsomematterstobestrickenoutandotherstobeinserted。Hedeclaredhisreadinesstostrikeoutafeatureofhisplantowhichfromthefirst，Ihavefeltaverygreatobjection——namely，thatwhich，afterthetribunalisconstituted，allowsthecontestingpartiestocallintoitandmixwithitpersonssimplychosenbythecontestantsadhoc。Thisseemstomeadilutionoftheideaofapermanenttribunal，andameansofdelayandofcomplicationswhichmayproveunfortunate。
Itwouldcertainlybesaidthatifthecontestantsweretobeallowedtonametwoormorejudgesfromoutsidethetribunal，theymightjustaswellnominateall，andthussavetheexpenseattendantuponaregularlyconstitutedinternationalcourtchosenbythevariousgovernments。
LaterinthedayIwroteaprivatelettertotheSecretaryofStatesuggestingthatourAmericandelegationbeauthorizedtolayawreathofsilverandgolduponthetombofGrotiusatDelft，notonlyasatributetothemanwhosetinmotiontheideaswhich，nearlythreehundredyearslater，haveledtotheassemblingofthisconference，butasanindicationofourgratitudetotheNetherlandsGovernmentforitshospitalityandtheadmirableprovisionithasmadeforourworkhere，andalsoasasignofgood—willtowardtheoldergovernmentsoftheworldontheoccasionoftheirfirstmeetingwithdelegatesfromthenewworld，inaconferencetreatingofmattersmostimportanttoallnations。
IntheeveningtoMr。vanKarnebeek’sreception，andtheremetMr。Raffalovitch，oneoftheRussiansecretariesoftheconference，who，ascounciloroftheRussianEmpireandcorrespondingmemberoftheFrenchInstitute，hasaEuropeanreputation，andurgedhimtoaidinstrikingouttheclauseintheplanwhichadmitsjudgesotherthanthoseofthecourt。Myhopeisthatitwilldisappearinthesubcommitteeandnotcomeupinthegeneralmeetingofthethirdgreatcommittee。