New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-09
REFORM or LNIERNAIIOAAL Law.

DUTY OF THE UNITED STATES TO HAVE REPRE-
SENTATIVE AT THE NEXT CONFERENCE-NECEs-
sITY OF THE CONFERENCE HAVING OFFICIAL
CoUNTENANCE-AN EFFORT PROMISING To MAKE
WAR LESS DARBARoUS,
70 the EdttOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: The announcement that the Russian
Government contempates the reassembling next March
IN st. Petersburg OF the international Law Conference,
lately held Brussels, raises the inquiry the
friends OF international Law Reform to what viii
be the attitude OF the United states Government In the
matter At the Brussels Conference all the independent
European States represented. and Government
the only invited by the Emperor OF Russia which
to take part IN the Conference Whatever may
have been the causes which led to tho refusal Of the
United States to eater the Conference nothing has yet
transplred which adequately accounts for the refusal.
and it certainly not creditabe to the sentiment OF our
Government in matters concerning the highest welfare
OF Chrstendom. 1t conceded all sides that the sod
ihcation or formulation Of the rules OF international lay
and their formal recognition By the governments con-
cerned will do more toward the ameOration OF the
rgor Of wars, and the dminution OF their frequency.
than other thing. Not arbitration alone could
be so efctua IN cementing the nations or 10 reducing
international violence For in order salts
factory arbitration OF differences Is necessary as
condition precedent fOr the nations concerned 70 settle
body series Of rules for the guidance OF the sTbtra
tors. This the with respect to the Geneva Ar
btratlOn. The Treaty OF Washington had to be framed
basis for the settlement OF the DIM renceS between
Great Britain ana the United States.
No codheaon OF international law ypryate lniiyid
uals collectively sGg can accomplish The purposes
Of international l&w as VIII Official codinchion We
must have international code, either partial or CON-
pete framed by the official representatives Ot tho
several governments OF Clrisendom and rauhoi Oy
those governments before We s1a nave any clear and
definite and ding International Law" The AssO-
cation for the Reform and Civilization OF the Law OF
Nations" which has already had two meetings IN
rope ana which IS compo'e OF eminent pubeiss and
urlSts on both sides OF the Atlantic, may do nuen
toward developing international sentiment anu nNlnS
This Association has for its President, NJ. d. d. Field
or NewYork; its honorary President IS Count Scop,;
ague Bernard, Sir Travers rSis d.. Blunsch, signor
Maucin, DE-. Martens. senior CASTELAR,, Mr. Clares
Council are Prof. Sheldon Amos. ldge Peabody, DIR.
Joseph r. Thompson. Mr. Emory Wtshourn. and eX-
b. Miles The OBJECT OF the Association Is 10 do wlat
can be done in private or unofficial way for Ia al
vancement OF international law reform, and coihcaron
Then there is the Institute OF International Law
founded at Client. last year with purposes
COdncation OF the Law OF Nations" These societies do
not profess to be anythiug than scientific bodies
and IN the development and Improvement OF inc sen-
ment OF nations toward each other They do NOT pre-
tend 10 be anything more than tile uDoca voice OF tue
iars II thew form code OF laws it will he simply
expression OF their Intelligence and desires, and Will
not DO susceptible OF enforcement except after formal
recognition by the Governments. All private ana un
oial efforts In this direction must be supplemented Oy
official governmental recognition And there Is dis
position among che nations 10 furnish THIS gOvernneutA
action. In July, 1873 the British House OF Commons
moved address TO the Queen praying tbat she VIII
graciousy pleased instruct her principal SECRETARY
State Foreign Affairs TO enter into comnluhlcau
with foreign Powers with view 10 the Iurtner
OF international law, and the estsOiisnngns h,rs
general and permanent system Of international srgI
ton" In the debate which preceded tue Seitep
resolution there no one 10 declsc ILL., dsorahis.
condition OF International law was not nlghy
and the only opposition when was "sao
on the ground that IL might Do imPtVPu.
for Great Rritan 10 take the initiative nut htssL"
taken the initiative ia respect 10 tne
rules OF warfare and although the bruss rs 90 49,
was not SO successful In agreeing upou ir ,st,n.
f.re "a conld bo wished yet the result smpy Iusau
H. e,r1 20 reassemble tho Conference Iaere We're 90
arcIes OF the draft declaration presence oy 800
and nnon these the conflict Of opnloh atnons sv az 70
cates was confined 10 comparatively iow Nti %
$50 ,,.nortant pontA 10 w0uld DO uOuOt 10 MoH
~, could unite and frame an enlarged
az 60 code upon all the more general SUBJECTS Oh
lntercourse. But even this would nOs pre-
, III Vars it would simply reduce the number aod
OF wars And the efforts OF any POWER 10 irane
~ warfare designed 70 prevent and aInehorale
oO how,d receive the hearty approval OF all nations,
w itniIed states and Russia have been peccnary
no,iInnus An all previous questions OF lnternauoha
49, why our Governments should DO lhdiuetoutor
,r,e IN the proposed conference Is question hOs
aasy of solution. For the sake OF the gOOd OF
~ n"ns far the sake or the interests Oh law ana
~ ,n srr the sake OF own credit ana standing
cvil,zed nations let not Congress or the Presl'
aant hesitate TO yield htunR response 70 hussns
huma mo Invitation - 'AA""
Iroy N. H. Jaar l. t'e