Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-08

The executive council of the American
Society Of international Law. at re-
cent meeting declared that the very ex-
istence of international law is now at
issue, and summarizes its attitude in the
following report
The committee on annual meeting has
therefore refrained from calling the
members of the society from the active
work or which most of them are engag ed
to meet for the discussion of questions
of law. The only great question Of in
teruational law today is whether that law
shall continue to exist
Upon that subject the American So
clety of International Law reaffirms the
clear and unvarying support Of the Unit
ed States for the rule of law, expressed
in the recognition of international law in
the Fderal Constitution in tn DECISIONS OF
it's highest court and in the utterances
of is chief magistrates and statesmen.
Webster and Cleveland Quoted.
Mr.. Webster, while Secretary of State,
made this announcement:
Every nation, on being received, at
her own request into the circle Of
civilized governments. must UNDER
stand that she not only attans rights
OF sovereignty and the dignity Of ma
tional character, but that she binds
herself to the strict and faithful OBJ
sefyance of all those principles. laws
and usages which have obtained cur
rency among ciliized states, and
which have for their object the mti-
cation Of the n1iseries of war.
President Cleveland. IN his special
message Of 1893. addressed to the Con-
gress of the United States. said;
The law of nations is founded upon
reason and Justice. and the rules OF
conduct governing individual rela-
tions between citizens or subjects of
civilized state are equally appiica
BILE as between enlightened nations
The considerations that international
law is without a court for it's en-
forcement and that obedience to it's
commands practically depends upon
% inc .d1 .nE ft,o
date of superior tribunal only give
additional sanction to the law itself
and brand any deliberate infracton
Of it not merely as a wrong, but as a
disgrace. man of true honor oro-
tectS the uuwritten word which binds
his conscience more scrupuiously. If
possible, than he does the bond a
breach of which subjects him to legal
liabilities. and the United States. in
aiming to maintain itself as one of .
the most enlightened nations, would
do its citizens gross injustice Of it
applied to its international relations
any other than a high standard of
honor and morality.
Protection of Diplomats.
The council would call attention to the
fact that the entire Diplomatic and con-
sular service of all nations operates I'M
der the control and protection of interna-
tional law. That, therefore, all the vast
interests within the charge of these agen-
tstered If the beneficent provisions of in
ternatonal law are abandoned or disre-
garded They further venture to call at
tention TO the fact that more than two
thirds Of the surface of the globe is COW
cred by the high seas. that no law is
current thereon eXcc.lt international law;
that noble branch of law which Presi-
dent Wilson on April 2 1917 addressing
the Congress of the United States. de-
clared had it's "origin in the attempt to
set up, some law which would be re-