The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-31
SMALL NATIONS HOPE
LIES IN NEW LAW--ROO7
he Urges That a Moral Code Be Formulated by Private
Societies Of Experts for Adoption
by the World.

WASHINGTON. Dec. so.-For the pro-
lection Of the YEA nation against the
strong the adoption Of international rules
OF right conduct was urged by Elihu
o to-day In an address to the inter-
national law section of the Pan-Ameri-
can Scientific Congress. The American
Society Of international Law and the
American Institute of International Law.
Such q code. aid Mr.. Root, 10 the only
defence Of the small nation against the
bully.
o such q code Of International law
may be best formulated was the question
under discussion
Simeon Z. Baldwin, Ex-Governor of
Connecticut. proposed that the work bs
entrusted to the committee Of . scientific
academy rather than to Q commission.
which would probably be composed OF
statesmen or politicians instead OF
scholars. and then submitted to all the
peoples Of the world for approval.
Arthur N. Kuhn Of New Fork sug-
sested that prog ess toward an interna-
tional regime Of law must lie In the d.
rection Of emphasizing Its obligatory
character and that the law should be
codined with that end In view.
Mr.. Roots Speech.
Mr.. Root said In part:
Are the small nations OF the earth to
c%ontinue7 Is It to be any longer possible
tor the little people to maintain their In
dependence? That IL q serious question
with many Of US In this Joint meeting OF
thu subsection Of the society OF the Pan
American Congress and the American
Society.
THE large nations can take care Of
themselves by the exercise Of power II
they are willing to be armed to the
teeth always. but the small Countries
what are they to do? There Ii no pro-
lection for them but the protection OF
law. m there Is no protection In law
unless the law be made clear and dem
mite n certain SO that a great bully
cannot escape 1t without running Into
tho n nation Of that law.
so l say that every dictate OF hu-
manity should lead us to urge forward
that process by which. In is better
moments, mankind may be led 10 agree
to the setting up Of clear n definite
and distinct rules OF right conduct for
the control of the great nations In their
dealings with the small.
THE presence here Of DR.. Mathura,
whom It 10 a great pleasure for me to
hail as a colleague In the faculty OF
political and administrative science Of
the University of San Marcos at Lima,
and OF the distinguished Ambassador
from Brazil. my old friend from Rio de
Janeiro, leads me to say something
which follows naturally from my refiec-
tions regarding the interests Of the
smaller nations.
Reamrms His Old Message.
1T Is now nearly ten years when
your people. gentlemen, and the other
peoples OF South America were good
enough to give serious and respectful
consideration to a message that II was
my fortune to take from this great and
powerful republic of North America to
the South American nations. I wish to
say to you. gentle 4 en-. and to all my
Latin American friends here In this con-
gress that everything that ! aid In
behalf Of the Government Of the United
States at Rio de Janeiro In 1906 10 true
now as 1t was true then.
There has been no departure from
the standard Of feeling and of policy
which was declared then in behalf OF the
American people. On the contrary. there
is throughout the people of this coun-
try a fuller realization OF the duty and
the morality and the high policy Of that
standard.
"Of course In every country there are
individuals who depart from the gen.
eral opinion and general conviction, both
In their views and In their conduct but
the great, the overwhelming body of the
American people. love liberty not In the
restricted sense OF desiring II for Them.
selves alone but In the broader sense of
desiring II for all mankind.
THE great body OF the people Of these
United States love Justice. not merely as
they demand It for themselves. but In
being willing to render 1t to others. We
believe In the Independence and the dig
nifty Of nations. n while We are great