New-York tribune., 1908-01-05
INTERNATIONAL Law.
James B. Scott as an Erpert IN It
His Uprk at The Hague.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]


Washington. Jan. 4.-The authorship Of case
book on international law. in which he presented
a strong argument in support OF the proposltlon
that international law an actual legal system
susceptible of being administered in courts OF 1us
tice, prepared while he was professor OF law II
Columbia University, has led to singular preferIei'
and advancement for one of the most promising
young men in the Department of State This Is
James B. Scott solicitor for the department. VINO
played so conspicuous part in the recent faghe
conference that he was singled out for speclai
comnendation by the Secretary Of State in the con-
gratulations which he extended to the American
commissioners their work in the conference
Mr. Scott who is citizen of California. has long
made speciality of International law Having been
graduated Harvard. he spent some years at
the universities of Berlin, Heidelberg and Paris
pursuing his favorite study. and incidentally ne
ACQUIRED a knowledge OF French and German which
has since proved invaluable. He later organized
the Los Angeles Law School. now the law depart
uent of the University of Southern California
When the with Spain broke out Mr. Scott en-
listed in the eth Regiment, and soon after De-
ing mustered out. he offered and accepted the
deanship of the Law School of Columbia II was
while occupying this position he published ta
argument on international law. which 50 entirely
coIncided with the views OF Secretary Root tnat
the latter Immediately offered Mr. Scott the post
of solicitor for the Depa rtment OF State. made va
cant BY the resignation of the veteran Judge Pen
field.
Secretary Root has long cherished the idea that
uben International law is reduced to exact
science and international tribunals. which shall De
governed by pure Jurisprudence instead of by dip
Ionatic considerations. be established. the ad-
Indication of all disputes between nations can De
rendered at least certain and as satisfactory as
the adjudication of disputes between the citizens
of a civilized nation now. The discovery OF
a Young man who had developed this theory for
himself and who could and did support the propo-
sfton bv Intelligent digests of the judicial systes
of the United States and Of England appealed 10
the Secretary with special force and the excellent
service which Mr.. Scott has rendered both in the
department and at The Hague has amply demon
strated the wisdom of the Secretary's choice
As Spokesman for Special Commissioner Choate
Mr. Scott enjoyed special prominence in the recent
Hague convention and was able to 90 much toward
promoting that permanent International court OF
arbitration which Secretary Root regards as the
onlv practcaI alternat tive 10 war. II viii DC re-
called that the powers represented at the confer
ence voted in favor of the principle OF such II
court and is the conviction Of the American
commissioners such court will be established
through the direct negotiation of the powers pos
siblv even before there Is another meeting at The
IIaere When the subject first broached the
European and Latn-American nations were dis
posed 10 dissent because II argued by the
American commissioners that the court should b.
composed of judges. investigation by the repre-
sentatfves of the United States revealed that
this opposition due the fact that IN
many foreign countries the judiciary IS so largely
n mart of the administrative branch of the govern
ment that the respect in which the Judiciary -
held in this country does not obtain When, now
ever il proposed that eminent jUrists from
the several countries be appointed members of the
court the antagonsm almost entirely disappeared
and n is believed by some of the Americans that
the patriotic pride in heir eminent jurists will
serve as potent factor in impeilInS many Euro
pean countries 10 adopt the proposition Of TIE
United States