Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-30
JURISTS ARE FOR PEACE
COMMEND THE PROPOSED CALL
ron ANOTHER CONFERENCE.
Suggested That American Jurispru-
denee Should Be Reformed to
Suit International Law.

A dispatch from st. Louis last night says:
The following resolution, on which the
committee of nations had reported favor
ably. was adopted by the universal congress
Of lawyers and jurists today with unanim-
ity and applause:
Resolved That the universal congress of
lawyers and jurists, sympathizing with all
movements to bring about peace among ma
| lions by international friendly agreement.
welcomes the announcement of the Presi-
dent of the United States that he proposes
to call a new conference"
The congress voted down resolution on
which the committee had reported unfavor-
ably, to the effect that the Emperor of Rus
STA be requested to call a new conference.
1t is understood that the work Of the COM
mittee of nations. composed Of fourteen
members is extremely difficult, and to a
certain extent unsatisfactory. This is due.
as Mr.. Wallace Nesbitt justice of the SUI
preme court Of the dominion Of Canada and
chairman of the committee, stated, to the
fact that there is no one language that any
four of the committee can speak with
fiuency, and the work must be accomplished
indirectly and with certain degree of I'M
certainty.
Private Law Treaties.
In breif review of the results attending
The Hague conference on private interna-
ttonal law Dr. Jitta of the University of
Amsterdam said:
Between 1888 and 1904 four conferences
OF European nations were held at The
Hague in order that a unification of private
International law, that is, the law Of pri-
Vate relations of men of various countries
might be secured. The conferences have led
10 four treaties. namely, on civil procedure
van saloity OF marriage divorce and guardian
ship, while four other treaties are prepared
IN draft The most important treaties have
been put in force in the Netherlands
france Germany and Sweden, and as a re-
suit the European continent Is entering
upon new era of prosperity.
Inc participation of all the civilized ma
uons OF the world to further conference,
that such legislation may be uniyersa1Iv
enacted, is matter of serious considera-
ton"
DR.. Meilt of the University of Zurich.
IN a philosophical review of the confer
vate international law, said:
me significance and scope of the con-
1erences which have taken place at The
may be recapitulated as follows:
1t has been proven in Europe that the
sraouai evaporation of rules upon the prt-
vate conflicts of law by means of treaties
is not an Illusion
II we are to work toward accepting uni
versal uniformity in the rules of conflict
IL is necessary that all nations take a
nVeiy interest In the international pri-
Vate law, that particularly Anglo-Ameri-
can Jurisprudence shall reform its views
on certain topics, and that England and
america shall study and test the ques-
tons discussed at the conferences in ~
der to determine whether thew will mar
ticipate in them.
Should Be Taught in Universities.
1t Is further imperative that interna
| tional private law be taught at all uni
versities, and that officially conducted
legal bureaus be created in every country
10 give information to foreign courts as
| to the existing private law.
A brlef discussion of the papers by Mr.
Simeon f. Baldwin. Judge of the supreme
court or errors of Connecticut, followed.
AT the conclusion of the discussion
PRESIDENT Brewer begged the delegates
70 give the matter the most serious con-
sloeratlon and stated that the most ear
| hes discussions In the supreme court had
| peen those affecting the valuation of
olVorce when the two parties lived in dir
1erent states
18th, The first address OF today's session was
oenVeFed by Vice Judge Gustav E. Fahl-
erantz, advocate of Stockholm, Sweden. He
discussed the subject, THE Preferable
Method OF Regulating the Trial of Civil
Actions with Respect to Pleading and Evi-
dence, presenting the civil law method of
| trial and its merits dement's as com
pared with other methods. He went into
| an exhaustive explanatory view of the diff
1erent systems of the world, saying that all
| embodied the fundamental principle that
| the facts make law or as set forth in an
| old Swedish code, mo law is better to fol-
low than the truth"
| The paper was discussed by Dr. Adolph
| Hartmann, judge of the Koniglicbes Land
Gericht, Berlin, and NJ. Alfred Nerinex, pro-
| fessor of law in The University of I,ouyain.
Belgium. Prof. Nerinex pursued discus
sion of several jury trials. He said in
part:
Opposed to Jury Trials.
1 beg pardon for mentioning this in Amer
| ica but do not believe in civil jury trials
| In the first place the difficulty of securing
| a good jury in the best cases is extreme
The duty of serving in civil suits has be-
come so onerous on the community that
you cannot expect men Of high standing,
! whose time is occupied with their own af-
| fairs. to give several days every few
months to jury service. A civil jury is not
sounder than a good, honest, well-trained
| judge. When you cannot get men of high
standing in the community for jurymen
you get men of a lower tenor, whose judg-
ment cannot be depended upon.
| A general discussion of the jury system
| ensued. E. F'abre, surveyor of Montreal.
| Canada, spoke of the difficulties that beset
| trials by jury in Canada, owing to SO many
different tongues being spoken and the
necessity of translations to the mixed jury.
Judge John M. Dillon of New York said
| that he was thoroughly convinced that the
present jury system was the best. and
suited to our individuality.
| c. c.. Cole, dean of the Drake University
Law School, Des Moines, Iowa. said: There
| is a possibility of judge being approached.
which is not possible with twelve men.
| That is the great bulwark of our jury sys-
tenn"