The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-11
O01E NEW BOOKS.
Mr. Root On International Law.

H. Root On laternational Law.
At a time when the foundations of
international law have boon shaken by
the Unforeseen complications arising
from the European conflict and when
the ideals Of peace and Of doing away
with war fostered by the delibera-
lions Of the Hague tribunal have
been rendered visionary. IL seems APP
proprate and wise that tn" principles
on which the law and the hopes for
arbitration are based should he
brought emphatically to notice again
.n the utterances Of a man who has
had to deal with them. not as "A the
orist or an academic %expounder of
What should be but as a statesman,
entrusted with the affairs Of the ma
ton. In which the practical application
9f the principles of international law
must eve be borne in mind. This was
the time II ever for the collection and
publication Of the Addresses on Inter
national subjects. by Flint Roor.
which two men closely associated with
him when he was Secretary of state,
RosERr BAcoS and JAMES RRowN Scorr.
have made Harvard University Press.
Cambridge. The stately volume is
oAfy the first OF several that will con-
tain the speeches and state papers pre-
naSad hv Snnufnr Boot In th, x..,l.,,,
departments of public life in which
no has distinguished himself. IL does
not include by any means all the i'm
portant expressions Of opinion by
which he influenced the 70. c.gn af.
fairs Of the United States. hut Il offers
the greater and most important part
OF what he has chosen to say on the
principles of international law and on
public questions in which thcs, prin-
ciples were especially involved. par
ticularly in very recent years.
An unusual degree Of conference in
Treatment is given to these speeches
by the fact that for ten successive
years Senator Root has been called
upon to deliver the presidential ad-
dress before the American Society of
International Law and has been able
tc pick out topics that were closely
related to American affairs and to ac-
ton In which he himself had shared.
In the first Of these he discussed the
question OF Japanese immigration INC
the treaties with japan: in subsequent
years he took ny the matter of pro-
tecting citizens who reside abroad. the
meaning Of the Declaration of London,
the real Monroe Doctrine. last year he
considered the outlook for Internal
tional law as matters stand now-all
questions of practical and serious i'm
portancc AZ the time. which i%nterna-
tional law tried to decide and which
must be settled some time or other on
h basis proposed. His address before
the society at the end Of his April
was on the declaration of the rights
and duties of nations. drawn up 10y
the experts In international law. a
foundation to hJild ON when a states
man can he put in power who viii see
that the rights OF neutral nation are
properly observed.
One address that was never dcliy-
cred should no grouped with these. the
speech prepared 90 fulfil The require
ments of the Nobel peace prlle. which
was bestowed ~ Mr.. Root in 1918. on
the ground Of his services in h..pc ng
about an understanding with the South
American States and his conduct rs
Secretary of State, The speech was
to have been delivered in Christiania
In September. 1914. hut The outbreak
Of the var interfored. II is printed
Just as IL was written. when there was
no anticipation of trouble. and even
the concluding sentence Is retained
In spite of the irony of facts: we
may we'll turn from Tripod and
Mexico and the Balkans with the
apocryphal exclamation of Calico,
And still the world moves"
The Panama question is completely
covered by the speech before the Chi
cage Union League club in which the
recognition of the republic and the ac-
tion Of the United States are justified
and by the two great speeches in the
Senate on II Panama Canal tolls.
The two strong speeches In the Senate
against the ship purchase hill cover
that subject pretty thoroughly. Sena-
tor Roots briefer comments in the
Senate on the treaty with Russia and
on the Mexican resolution are also in
cluded. The volume ends with the por-
tons OF his address as chairman OF
the Republican State convention last
February relating to foreign affairs.
The volume is important both for the
study Of international law and for the
understanding OF contemporary Amer
lean history. 1t embodies the dispas-
sionate views on vital subjects OF one
of the ablest. Sanest and most Tar
sighted statesmen Of his generation
who II he had been at the helm OF
state in these days OF indecision would
have saved his country from many
anxious moments.