El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-22
INTERNATIONAL
LAW HIS TOPIC
Richard F. Burgess Ad-
dresses University Club; Is
Made Life Member.

Before beginning his address to the
members and guests OF the University
club. on Wednesday night. /; chard F.
Burgess took occasion 10 say now deep
y he appreciated the honor which the
club conferred upon him in making him
an honorary member for Ike There
has been no club organized 81 FL Paso
which 1 desired more earnestly 10 join
I regretted that I was not eligible. I am
profoundly touched by the honor you
have given me- he said.
Referring 70 the statement ascribed
10 Sir Edward Carson. TO the effect
lhat at the close of the present great
conflict In Europe there would be no in
Jernauoual law. MIR. Burgez said It
would be- necessary TO begin anew and
build on different basis il there is to
De any international law which viii
endure He said municipal. national
and international law has been defined
as rule by "a supreme power enjoining
what Is right and prohibiting what is
wrong, but that now there Is no power
which is supreme internationally
international Law Matter OF Treaties
international law, as it-eNlsts today
IS matter of treaties and conventions.
An effort has been made TO cOdify the
work Of the conventions and treaties.
but up 10 the present time this has not
been achieved.
1T may well be doubted That the hui
man race is advancing, If we take only
a limited view. and for only 4 limited
period During 20 months Of the Euro
pean war. zoe neutral vessels have been
sunk In our own civil war. me Euro
pean nations held that the presence of
mail bags on vessels should cause them
10 be held inviOlate: that If the boats
were seized. the mail bags. undisturbed.
should be forwarded at once To their
~
international law was written during
the war which began in 16fS and did
not end until 80 years later.
The greatest driving force, the
greatest power for good in This whole
world is an enlightened public opinion
Those who doubt this have only to con-
slider that 240 cases have been adjudi-
Gated by arbitration. between the ma
tons, with practically none OF them re-
pudiated or contested.
Have TO Learn by Trying.
Patrick Henry once said The only
light TO guide my feet is experience
We have TO learn by trying In 1911,
/ proposed. through the New York Post.
plan whereby I believed future wars
might be averted- My plan was not ac-
cepted- was surprised. too, that il
was not eagerly adopted by all the ma
lions The plan seemed 50 simple that
1 myself was suspicious Of It The plan
provided that any signatory to the
make its declaration Of war. then wait
"A months before taking any further
action Any violation OF this agreement
would make the power the common en-
envy Of all the other signatOries. and
all their forces and equipment OF war :
would be used against this common en- {
envy This would allow the cooling z
time to show its splendid value In law I
we recognize this cooling time as Of T.
inestimable worth
Nations Not All Canal
One OF the chief faults or our present /
system Of international law IS that IL is .
founded upon the presumption that all D
the sovereign states are equal Nothing
could be further from the truth. We
never can rear a great supsrstructure
upon foundation that is not essential
y sound We must get a new fOunGa-
lion, and then buf-d all over again.
hat Hayti- in any phase Of her civil
iation, IS the equal of the United
states Great Britain. France or Ger
many. All the nations must feariessly
md bravely face this fact and then
Fit Men Must BE Chosen.
Another thing is that in the repre-
entation in our conventions. We must
york on better. more equitable basis.
Zen must be chosen for their preemi-
tent fitness for TIE work II hand. and
lot because they happen TO represent a
million or 50 million people Our su-
rene court has gotten along fairly
veil thus far in its decisions I have
eard no Wen founded complaint that
n decisions affecting the welfare OF
ny particular state. justice was not
one that state by reason Of the fact
hat the state had no representative on
he bench.
Il believe there is no reason 70 be
essimistic over the future. II il be
rue that IL is always darkest just be
ore the dawn. then surely The light is
lst ahead Of US 7 believe that no one
ere within the sound Of my voice Will
We TO see again the fabric OF civilizS I
on subjected 10 so terrinc a strain as
is now enduring I believe there !
ever again viii be such a struggle on
MS earth.
First omen Meeting Of Club.
John Fielding. jr., called the meeting
} order and served as master Of cere-
lonies The meeting was the first open
ne which has been held by the Univer-
ty club The first number was a clar- Z
met solo by c. ?. Miller. with piano Z
compartment by Chas- T. Miller An !
Moore number was called for and much I
lioyed By the audience Nj. Fielding
ZEN introduced the principal speaker
. the evening. Richard F. Burgess.