The Washington herald., 1915-12-29
PUNISH NATIONS
VIOLATING WORLD CODE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

Of that power must be based upon pub
lie opinion. For the formation Of sucl
q general opinion, however, questions o
national conduct must be reduced 4
simple and definite forms. Occasionall.
there 10 an act the character OF whicl
Is SO clear that mankind forms q Judg
ment upon It readily and promptly. bu
in most cases 1t is easy for the wrong
doer to becloud the issue by assertion
and arguments and to raise a compli
Gated and obscure controversy which
confuses the judgment OF the world
There Is but one way to make genera
Judgment possible in such cases. Tha
is by bringing them to the decision o
competent court which will strip away
the irrelevant, reject the false. and de
clare what the law requires or prohibiti
in the particular case Such cour
Of international justice with a genera
obligation to submit all justiciable ques
tons to its Jurisdiction and TO abide b,
its judgment Is a primary requisite tc
any real restraint of law.
international laws violated with i'm.
punity must cease to exist. and every
State has a direct interest in preventing
those violations. which. II permitted to
continue. would destroy the law. Where.
ever in the world the laws which should
protect the independence of nations. the
inviolability of their territory, the lives
and property of their citizens. are violat-
ed all other nations have a right to pro-
test against the breaking down of the
law. Such protest would not be an
Interference In the quarrels OF others"
In nine sections. the second Amer
lean Scientific Congress settled itself for
the serious work OF the meeting yester-
day morning. Three sections were opened
by addresses from Cabinet officers. Secre-
taries McAdoo. Lane and Redheld sad-
dressing gatherings designed for special
studies in sciences dealt with in their de-
partments. The contrast between America
at peace and Europe at war was referred
to by many Of the speakers. but also
was the fact emphasized that the Amer
lean continent is not immune from the
danger Of war and that by force of arms
only 1, furnished ample protection against
the ravages of conquest
The War With Nature.
There are times. I know. when ma
tions who believe In themselves must
fight" declared Secretary Lane. in open
ing the section on mining and geology.
But let US not delude ourselves with the
notion that civilization is the product OF
arms The only excuse for war Is to
secure peace, that men Of thought. re-
and skill may have op-
portunity to make themselves masters
Of the secrets OF nature. For the real
battle Of the centuries Is not between
men or between nations or between races
The one fight. the enduring contest. Is
between man and physical nature.
Addressing the section on commerce.
finance. and taxation,
Secretary McAdoo declared:
THE spirit OF mutual helpfulness
should be the keynote OF this congress.
and the practical application Of this spirit
should result In a new epoch in interna-
tional relations. an epoch in which CO.
operation Will take the place OF antago-
nism and Jealousy"
Among the other speakers ana STATE
ments at yesterdays sessions were:
DR.. p. p Claxton. United States Com
missioner OF Education: Education IL
the foundation of good citizenship.
Equality of opportunity. which Is what
democracy means. depends upon the
quality of educational facilities"
Henry s. Graves. Chief Forester. United
States Department OF Agriculture: THE
full solution Of our forest problem Is not
even in sight. Probably 1oo.0oo.So acres
Of private timber land are not protected.
DIR. Aristide Agramonte. of Cuba: THE
true germ OF yellow fever has not yet
been found. although II Is present In the
blood from the first to the third day OF
the disease 1t is practically impossible
10 eradicate the mosquito. The best that
can be hoped for Is to reduce the number
below yellow fever level