The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-31

We estimate u greatness - one Of the
least Of Possessions and We hold Inc
smallest state, be Il upon an island of
the Caribbean or anywhere In Central
or America 10 our equal In dig
mty In the right to respect and in the
right to the treatment Of an equal.
Nob1er Than Material Wealth,
We believe that nobility Of spirit,
hign ideals capacity for sacrifice are
nooler than material wealth. We know
ehat these a b found In the little
state as well a. In the big one. In OUT
respect for you while you are small and
for you when greater there can be no
element OF condensation or patronage.
for that would do violence to our WI
conception Of the dignity Of Independent
sovereignty"
Mr.. Root then discussed the question
wheuher or not international law should
be oodihed.
III that mean should We undertake
to put the Law Of nations Into q single
body. which shall be the rule and guide
Tor international relations, think"
said he. I'VE must answer no that Il
u Impossible at the present time. On
the other hand, codihcation considered
not a. . result but ~ a process, II seems
to me plainly should be attempted and
pressed forward and urged with all
possible force.
Recent events. o. rather the realisa-
don Of the truth which comes from q
great war In Europe, compels us TO
consider the great SHORTCOMINGS Of what
We think OF as International law, to
consider how narrow the field which II
covers. how vague and uncertain II Is
within Its W field and how dificult
u Is to compel In any way a reoognition
OF It's Sules OF right conduct.
There Is but n way In which that
weakness Of international law can be
cured. and that 10 by the process Of
codifcation. a process which must be
extended through long periods. which
has been going on very gradually for
many years. The Declaration Of Paris
was a little bit Of codiication. The
three rules Of the treaty Of Washington
constituted a little bit Of codiication as
between the United States and Great
Britain and they have been in substance
accepted n adopted by the nations Of
Europe and The Hague.
THE Geneva convention covered q GER
tain field by codihcation INT the Hague
conventions a much wider held. SO l
say, considered as a conclusion. there
nj be no codthcation but considered a.
a process there must be codiScstion-
c~odihcation pressed forward and urged
on by all possible means.
II can 20 a step further than that
The changes In the conditions Of earth.
the changes in International relations
which have been so rapid In recent
years, have outstripped the CROWN OF
International law.
Law Doesn't Keep Pace.
II think II quite right to say that the
law OF nations does not come so near to
covering the feld Of national conduct to-
day II II did fifty years ago The de-
velpment of international relations In all
their variety in the multitude OF Ques-
tions that arise goes on more rapidly
than the development OF international
law. and II you wait for custom without
any effort to translate the custom into
definite statements firm year to year
you will never get n law settled ex-
cept by bitter controversy
THE pressing forward Of codifcation
Of international law is made necessary
by the swift moving OF events among
Nations. We cannot wait for custom to
lag behind the action u which the law
should be applied.
II want to express entire harmony
with what o Baldwin said q few mo-
ments ago upon the other branch Of this
question as to whether II should be
by government or by private societies.
II Is not practicable that governments
should do the threshing out Of questions
necessary to reach a definite statement
Of a conclusion. That has to be done
with freedom from cons:raint by the
private individual doing his work in a
learned society or In private intercourse.
II think II is not generally understood
that the FIRST conference At The Hague
would have been a complete failure II Il
had not been for the accomplished work
of the Institut des Etats Internationale.
s I think II Is quite clear thA the
process Of codincation. step by step.
subject by subject. point by point-the
process Of codifcation-must begin with
the Intellectual labor Of private indiv-
iduals. and 1t must be completed by the
acceptance of Governments.