New-York tribune., 1918-11-23
The League of Nations


deeper rooted, one.
We have had league of nations on
this side of the Atlantic. 1t lived near
ly ten years, although few people were
aware of its existence. It is dead. 1t
died because nationalistic antagonisms
reduced it's machinery to impotence.
BY a treaty concluded on December
tions-Costa Rica, Guatemala, Hondu-
ras, Nicaragua and Salvador-entered
into compact to maintain peace and
concord among themselves. Article l
of the treaty read:
The Republics of Central America
slider as one of their first duties in their
mutual relations the maintenance of
peace; and they bind themselves to all
ways observe the most complete harmony
and decide every difference or difficulty
that may arise amongst them, of whatso-
ever nature it may be, by means of the
Central American Court of Justice,
created by the convention which they
have concluded for that purpose on that
date.
The treaty was to remain in force for
ten years, and one year longer, if not
denounced by any of the contracting
parties at the end of nine years.
The international court, created in the
supplementary treaty referred tdeawas
called the Central American Court of
Justice. 1t was to have cognizance of
all questions arising among the five
of NV, I'D;
uals of one Central American country
against the other contracting govern
ments because of the violation of
treaties or conventions, and of other
cases of an international character.
Each government appointed one justice
of the court All countries bound them
selves absolutely to accept the courts
decisions, which were to be made by
majority of the justices.
Here was counterpart of the society
of nations, to be governed in their con-
duct toward one another by superior
international board or tribunal, which
it is purposed to set upon world wide
/ scale at the Versailles peace conference
1t was an international brotherhood
resting on political covenants and backed
by moral sanctions. 1t would have sue
ceeded if the governments concerned
were ripe for internationalism. 1t failed
because they were not.
The rock on which the Central Ameri-
can League of Nations houndered was
the refusal of Nicaragua in 1916 to ac-
cept decision of the international court
restraining her from executing the So
called Bryan -Chamorro treaty with the
United States. The court ruled that
this treaty conficted with Nicaragua s
prior treaty obligations to Costa Rica
and Salvador, since it ceded to the
United States, without their consent, a
naval base on the Gulf of Fonseca, the
waters of which adjoin both Costa Rica
and Salvador.
Nicaragua stood on the treaty made
by her government with Secretary
Bryan. In doing so she had the moral
support of the United States. The other
four members of the league had nc
means Of coercing her. She withdrew
her justice from the central court anc
Of dissenting from any further decisions
of that tribunal Nor would she renew
the treaty which created the Centra
American League.
Last spring the court disbanded
Nationalism had won in it's clash with in
ternationalism. Nicaragua was con
vinced that the national interests of tht
other four states were being defended
in the verdict given against her Shs
declined to sacrifice herself on the altal
of an internationalism which she con
sidered to be mere cover for an ex
ploitation of the jealousies and ambi
tions of rival states.
Internationalsm can be based onl,
on broad popular recognition that it
claims are morally superior to tn,
claims of nationalism. Such conscious
ness does not exist to-day in Centra
America. 1t is hard to believe that i
exists in South America, in Asia, Afrc
or Australasia. Who can say that
: exists in sufficient strength in Europe O
in the United States?
A universal league of nations appeal
to the imagination. But such fedora
ton cannot rise like gilded vision ou
Of the clouds Of fancy. This war ha
been nationalistic war 1t has un
loosed the creative energies of nation
alism all over Central Europe. Me
have fought for national existence an
national aims. Can they be turned asid
from these to embrace internationaisn
which, 80 far as it has been operativ
! throughout the war, has hindered rathe
: than promoted Allied victory?
y The peace conference may produce