New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-13
PLEADS TO SAVE
CENTRAL AMERICA
ossce Secretary Urges the
II s. to Hold Nicaraguan
Treaty Is Illegal
... n. rdnun. Rurrau J

,,.ston. Nov. l2.-Declaring that
,,;orsl justice, like charity
=. home" Arthur Deerin Call
Hs ...,rv Of the American Peace SOei-
,o.Sav urged that the United
~, recognize the Central American
~, decision that the Niearaguan
r,s illegal. The reputation by
IT, '..,.rnment Of the courts decision.
~ W Call said, would make the court a
' =. stock and might lead to hos
. '1. smons the Central American
,i,iOns. -
-, inst decreed," said Mr.. Call,
~. ,hs Niesrsguan treaty with the
80, states. whereby we have leased
-, canal rights through Nicaragua
re right 10 a naval base on the
r.ynf Fonseca is illegal. Our action
his decision may mean peace or
".-,.ion for Central America. Fur
's.-,or,. Il will determine our atti-
"a. toward the only real international
-, N the world. court established
/. 1901 upon the initiative Of President
r,',,v.lt and President Diaz Of
N,1eo.
threatened War May Be Avoided
TINS far the State Department has
..g.5 "a assume any responsibility in
-. Vicsraguan matter, apparently on
~. r,ound that We are not officially q
80 70 this court. But the fact is
- the jurisdiction Of the Central
,-,,iean court extends beyond the
. e.. ,ountries represented in it, and by
..;s fset there is open TO US a method
n procedure by which threatened war
I'D sisunion in Central America may
aTi,s is our opportunity. We can
.ssE the world that we respect the
.s,orr Of international justice which
", have been advocating for Europe,
even in minor case.
aTbe moral responsibility of this
country for the welfare Of the Central
American court of justice and for the
rrion Of the FIVE Southern republics es-
.,bishcd hv the convention of 1907 is
rnouestionable. President Roosevelt
md Secretary Root at that time both
rave unmistakable assurances TO all
ffese republics that the United States
rogld not only promote and foster the
court and union. but that IL would also
act the role Of sponsor for their future
clfare.
Working Model for Peace Court
aln the Central American court we
ave working model Of the sort Of in
,tnational court that great peace So
ceties and peace thinkers Of all the
world have been advocating for the last
century. The United States is placed
r .he peculiar position Of being able,
BIZ It's action one way or the other, 70
preserve the integrity Of this court or
10 render 10 futile and laughing stock.
"The recent decision OF the court was
hat Nicaragua acted illegally in selling
anal rights 10 this country without
consulting or asking the consent of
'osta Rica. and in threatening the neu-
rsli;y Of Honduras by permitting a
United States naval base to be estab-
shed on tho Gulf Of Fonseca, the
gaters Of which both Honduras and
salvador adioin. According to the lat
81 dispatches. disruption threatens the
'entral American union through our
.ssertion % our technical freedom
rom the impositions of this decree.
III war comes we shall be directly
nd undeniably 10 blame. The world
as Just reason 20 judge of the strength
# our International good will by what
re DO or DO not do on our own CONT
eat"