The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-24

taken as a significant indication of
Pan-American solidarity.
Although framed by a private body,
the declaration nevertheless is under
stood to express the attitude toward
international law of the American con-
tinent, inaSmuch as its trainers are
drawn from among the most eminent
authorities on International law in
their respective countries. In fact, it
is said that when the original draft of
the declaration was presented to the
body in executive session, with an ex-
PLANTATION that it was founded on the
American Declaration of Indepen-
dence, the members unanimously took
the stand that the principles laid down
admitted of no discussion.
No European nation is mentioned in
| the declaration, nor does it contain
any reference, direct or indirect, to the
incidents which have affected the
North and South American countries
during the present war. Nevertheless
position of the Americas with regard
to violation of neutral territory and
the rights Of neutral citizens and
states
The Articles.
The five articles, without the pre-
amble and citations of famous legal
decisions, follow:
| 1. Every nation has the right to
exist, to protect and to conserve its
existence; but this right neither i'm
plies the right nor justifies the act of
/ the state to protect itself or to con-
serve its existence by the commission
of unlawful acts against innocent and
unoffending states.
This right is, and is to be understood
| IN the sense in which the right to life
| is understood in national law, accord
| ing to which it is unlawful for a hui
| man being to take human life unless
| it be necessary so to do in Self-de-
Tense against an unlawful attack
threatening the life of the party UNI
lawfully attacked.
2. Every nation has the right to
/ independence in the sense that it has
a right to the pursuit of happiness and
| is free to develop itself without inter-
! ference or control from other states,
| provided that in so doing it does not
/ interfere or violate the just rights of
other states.
Cites q. S. Independence.
| 8. Every nation is in law and be-
fore law the equal of every other
state composing the society of ma
/ tons, and all states have the right to
claim, and, according to the Declara-
ton of Independence of the United
/ States, ito assume, among the powers
/ of the earth, the separate and equal
/ station to which the laws of nature
and natures God entitle them"
4 Every nation has the right to
territory within defined boundaries
/
over this territory and all persons
whether native or foreign found
| therein.
5. Every nation entitled to right
! by the law of nations is entitled to
have that right respected and protect
ed by all other nations for right and
duty are correlative, and the right OF
one is the duty of all to observe.
Represents 81 Republics.
The institute is composed of los
members, five representatives from
the National Society of International
4 Law which has been founded in each
of the twenty-one American republics
The honorary president is EIihu Root
former secretary of state, and the
president is DR.. James Brown Scott
/ Secretary of State Lansing, Robert Ra-
con, former secretary of state and
American ambassador to France, and
DR.. Leo S. Rowe. of the University OF
Pennsylvania, are the other members
of the Institute from the United States
DR.. Alexandra Alvarez, former coun.
sel1or to the Chilean legations in Eu-
rope and member of the permanent
court of arbitration at The Haeue is
secretary general of the institute. an6
its treasurer is DR.. Luis Anderson. ot
Costa Rica, former minister from thai
country to the United States and presi.
dent of the Central American Peace
conference which met in Washington
In addition to the officers the execu.
tive committee includes Antonio San.
chez de Bustamente, member of the
Cuban senate, member of the perma-
nent court of arbitration at The Hague
and delegate to the Second Hague
Peace conference and Joaquin D Ca.
sasus, of Mexico, former ambassador
to the United States and member OF
the permanent court of arbitration a.
The Hague.
Virtually all of the countries in Eu.
rope, however, also are represented in
the institute, since one or more CORE.
spending members have been elected
in each, including the most distin
guished authorities on internationa
law in all of the nations now at war
The official recognition enjoyed b,
the institute is instanced by the fac
that the Cuban government has re
quested that its next meeting in Jan
uary, 1917, be held in Havana, and tn.
institute has accepted the invitation