Evening star., 1916-12-09
EX,.PRES|DENT TAFT
ADDRESSES ]UR|STS
Society for Judicial Settlement
of international Disputes
Discusses Supreme Court.
BANQUET. TO END SESSIONS


| Distinguished jurists from the United
States and Canada. headed by former
President William H. Taft, today con-
tinued the discussion OF the Supreme
tCehrt of the United States at the morn
ing session of the sixth national con-
ference of the American Society for
Judicial Settlement OF International
Disputes. at the Shoreham Hotel. The
meetings began last hight and will
end tonight with a banquet.
I The Supreme Court was chosen as
the convention topic, it is announced.
because there have been so many al
/ lusions to it as a model for an inter-
national court of justicss the establish
mont Of which it Is thesmain3 o objsot OF
the society to promote. sEssa ='4H -'-5- --5-'
I Arbitration is a compromise at best.
said Mr.. Taft in his address dealing
with the functions of The Supr end
does not contribute, as scuurts would.
to the definitions of International law.
This association Is contehding for a
higher ideal than that embodied in the
settlement of disputes by arbitration"
Deals With Courts Functions.
The former Presidents address dealt
FIRST with the general functions Of the
court and secondly with Its functions
In regard to, foreign relations. which
functions. he said, will be Influential in
determining the character Of the hoped
for permanent International tribunal
to deal with controversies between na-
tions. @,-.S
preme Court" William RanRick Rid
dell, justice of the supreme court Of
Ontario, in lengthy and scholarly pa
per. discussed the British ~;tskins -ion-
council which, by the. way. he ex-
planned, is not a court at all, being sim
purposes of the privy council of the
king. Its members. he-saad. are asso-
efated for the purpose aof hstening to
petitions from private Individual. a
a. court. are bound by none Of their
previous decisions. ie - -
Justice Riddell traced tn de- all Its
history. personnel and fHaations.4 and
lonial prototype. the governor in
council as existing in Canada, Aus
tralia and New Zealand. The latter.
however. are. in the end, subservient
Is: in the main. satisfactory .othe Brit
ish mind was instanced in the Justices
words when he said: 1T Is wholly be-
yond controversy that Canadians gen.
orally would, deplore any attempt to
interfere with their traditional right to
apply for justice at the foot OF the
throne
Other Speakers Heard.
James Brown SCOTT of this city, the
secretary. presided. and other speakers
discussing various questions touching
the powers and functions Of the su-
preme Court were William l. Marbury
of the Baltimore bar. William /. Hull
OF the faculty Of swarthmore College
and Walter Scott PenfeId Of this city.
an international lawyer. peculiarly con-
versant with Latin American affairs
Henry b. F. Macfarland of this city is
TO- ss the tess.master at -tonishts BAN
oue5. the, speakers at which will in
slpas Jsslss Rtddsal of ontario. John
and James L. Slayden.
.,i,aas That In spite OF present chaotic con-
d1tions there exists a bright promise
for future peaceful international reia-
tions and for a strengthening Of the
worlds faith in treaties was the opin-
ion voiced by Theodore Marburg Of BAL
timore, president Of the society. in his
presidential address, delivered last
night.
There has been treaehery and disre-
gard Of honor and a throwing down Of
chivalry." admitted the speaker, but
TO offset this we have in this very war
examples OF entire faithfulness to treaty
obligations. We behold in some per-
formances better than the promise
'tOn the part of a large group of ma
tons. the events of war have actually
strengthened confidence in each other.
Sober second thought suggests that the
world will recover from the shock to
ITS faith IN treaties. Without such con-
fidence conditions will be impossible
Confidence not only in the written and
intentions of the neighboring state con-
stitutes the very basis Of all toIerable
relations
Emphasizes Similarity in Aims.
Mr.. Marburg emphasized the similar
ity in the operation and aims of the
international tribunal advocated re-
spectively by the society Of which he
! is head and by the League to Enforce
| Peace. stating that their powers are
"identic," and further said that the in
terests Of the two organizations touch
Intimately" at more than this one point
Other speakers. discussing the gen.
eral topic of the Supreme Court and
the question as to whether a proposed
world court to pass ON international
disputes should have. at the outset,
Raleigh c. Minor Of the faculty OF the
University of Virginia, Alpheus H.
Snow. Frederick d. McKenney Jackson
II. Ralston and Hannis Taylor. all Of
Washington, and James Brown Scott,
secretary of the society and also Of the
Peace.