New-York tribune., 1918-01-12
World Court Difficult,
Declares Sir F. F.. Smith

arises whether such a thing is or is
not in the range Of human endeavor."
A technical analysis Of international
law preceded Sir Frederick's remarks
concerning possibilities Of enforced
peace. Commenting on the Equality OF
mind" which permitted abrogation Of
solemn treaties. he said, while the au-
dicncc vigorously applauded:
III say, you could not call together a
democratic audience OF Englishmen or
Americans, before whom an English or
American statesman could appear and
say: True, we pledged our word, but
it does not pay US to keep it, and we
arc not going to keep it, say that
minister would have been broken in
England, and he would have been
broken in America"
The Duke Of Devonshire, Governor
General Of Canada, Count Macchi di
Cellare, the Italian Minister to the
United States, and Governor Whitman
occupied platform seats at the dinner
At Governor Whitman's suggestion, Sir
Frederick was unanimously named as
an honorary member Of the association.
An estimate Of the possible effect of
the war upon the relations of people
and government, capital and labor. was
vcntured by President Hughes in his an
nual address to the association Yesterday
afternoon. He spoke on "Ncw Phases
OF National Development" and, after
reviewing the important court decisions
of the year by which Congress. had
gained unprecedented power to regulate
phasizcd the "completc adequacy" of
constitutional authority to meet all the
exlgencics of war;
Our dlfiicultics are those Of peace
loving democracy unprepared for war"
he continued. "Ours are the dif1icuIties
of an lndu!gcnt people who have never
addressed themselves with sufficient
seriousness to problems Of administra-
tive efficiency in the conduct of public
business. We make government great
clrcumlo ocutlon Office, practice bad
enough in time of peace. but fatal if
not remcdicd in war. We bind orr
agents with red tape. We multiply Of
ilces, bureaus and councils without as
surlng necessary coordination. IT. is
relatively easy to devise grants of
power, to discuss, to formulate policies.
10 frame measures The difficult thing
IS to get things done-the first essential
in war"
Draft Act Beneficial, He Saws
The "by products" of the conscription
act, Mr. Hughes declared, will be new
'ecl'ng of fellowship, new under
standing of citizenship
1T may well be- he said, chat Amer
lea needed this war to get rid of tho
impurities of class distinction, of racial
blgotry, of urban provncialism and
sectional sclfishness. The selectivc
service act has taught needed lesson
or duty IN democracy, and there is like
~ to be n new appreciation of the
power of our government
III former conceptions of propertv
right and individual liberty are to be
maintained in years to come, it will
not be through the same instructive
regard for them which hitherto has
distinguished our people, but because
of the conviction that the common in
tcrest will be better served by freedom
of individual opportunity than by fet-
tering it.. Individual privilege, when
fore public to which old traditions
are no longer controlling public
which will have, and enforce, its own
estimate Of the extent of the common
right.
as it too much to expect that we
shall have saner attitude toward
business, toward the necessary activ-
tiles which afford the basis of progress?
| hope that the days devoted to the ap-
plication of the uncertainties of such
statutes as the Sherman act are num-
bered. What an absurdity it is to find
that the very cooperation which the ma
ton finds necessary for it's own eco
nomic salvation during the strain of
war is denounced as a crime in time of
peace! Let our legislatures free our
statute books of cant. Let US give hon
est business fair and reasonable CO.
operation, fair and reasonable organi-
zation-whether of business or labor
broad field and permit the enjoyment
of the essential conditions of efficiency
IN the interest Of the commor prosper
lty. | do not look to the period after
the war with undue optimism. But |
40 expect a better adjustment of leg
lslation to the facts of life"
Mr. Hughes's address was received
WIN applause from the members pres
ent Which grew boistcrous when Henry
w. Taft, chairman of the special COM
mittee named to attend to bar activities
IN war time, announced that more than
ot,oOO New York lawyers for the last
three weeks have been working nirht
and day assisting draft registrants at
the various legal advisory boards
throughout the city.
Mr; Iatt offered a resolution pledg-
Ing ,ne loyalty OF the association to the
government and branding as disloval
all criticism of the government which
had not for its purpose a genuine de-
sire TO further an Allied victory.
plan for world court and an in
ternatlonal police force was advanced
IN report presented by the interna-
tlonal arbitration committee of the as
soc!atlon, which called attention to the
;rI acelon OF group of jurists, of which
has been engaged for year in draft.
ing tentative convention for submis-
sion to the Allied governments for their
consideration in order that, when the
war ends, there may be some definite
plan to be considered.