South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-01-24
IME RICAS FORM
BILL Of RIGHTS
Lacks Formal Ratification But
is Held to Set Forth Views
of Countries.

WASHINGTON, Jan. IA Pan
American Declaration Of the Rights
Of Nations" prepared By Sec'y
Lansing and Dr. James Brown Scott.
and adopted In executive session by
the American Institute Of Internal
tional Law at It's recent convention
held here under the auspices Of the
Pan-American Scientific congress.
was made public Sunday by Or.
Scott. president OF the institute.
Although the declaration lacks the
formal ratification Of the p Amer
lean republics. and therefore is not
an official document, its trainers
believe that it correctly sets forth
the official views OF all the Amer
lean commonwealth. Before the
institute was called upon to consider
IL. the declaration was submitted To
and approved by the chief authori-
ties on international law in the
South American republics. including
Ambassador Suarez and DR. Alejan-
dro Alvarez Of Chile II was unani-
mOusly adopted Jan. s by the insti-
tute. whose membership Of los is
made up OF five experts on interna-
tiOnal law from each Of the p Amer
lean republics.
EmbOdics Only Elementary Rights.
The declaration, il is said. en-
bodies the Institutes conception Of
only elemental national rights and
viii be further considered at the
next meeting OF the institute In
Havana next year. II contains five
M = ~ MI fgH 70 u
toned with the United States Dec
laratiOn Of Independence in mind as
a model. and which read as follows:
Every nation has the right TO
exist, 10 protect and 10 conserve its
existence; but this right neither i'm
plies the right nor justihes the act
of the state to protect itself or 70
conserve its existence by the COM
mission of unlawful acts against
innocent and unoffending states.
EVERY nation has the right TO
independence in the sense that il
has a right to the pursuit Of happi-
ness and is free 10 develop itself
without interference or control from
other states, provided that In so do
ing il does not interfere with or
EVERY nation is in law and
before law the equal Of every other
state composing the society Of ma
tons. and all states have the right
to claim. and, according 20 the Dec
laration OF independence Of the
United States. 10 assume, among the
powers OF the earth, the separate
and equal station 10 which the laws
OF nature and Of natures God en-
title them.
livery nation has the right to
territory within defined boundaries
and to exercise exclusive Jurisdiction
over this territory. and all persons.
whether native or foreign. found
therein.
EVERY nation entitled TO
right by the law of nations is en-
titled TO have that right respected
and protected by all other nations
for right and duty are correlative.
and the right OF one is the duty Of
all TO observe"
The Preamble.
The preamble TO the resolution
embodying the declaration reads as
follows.
Whereas. The municipal law Of
civilized nations recognizes and pro-
tects the right TO life. the right to
liberty, 20 which the Declaration OF
independence o. the United States
adds the right 10 he pursuit OF
happiness. the right 10 legal equal
ity. the right to property and the
right TO the enjoyment of the afOre-
said rights, creating a duty on tn
part of the citizens or subjects
each nation 10 observe them: "a
Whereas, These fundam .ntal
rights. thus universally recognized.
are familiar TO the peoples of all
civilized countries: and
Whereas, These fundamental