South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-22

evidenced by treaties. conventions.
decisions OF courts, and other til
bunals. Il has rown as the COM
mon or customary law OF England
has grown IN the motherlauj and in
his r is perhaps Better
hat II should be a~sCertdinrd nd
formulated from time 20 time az tht
decisions OF international courts has
tribunals. rather than through the
efforts OF a body ~ juC.sts. however
learned, 20 formulate for .aoption IN
tou,,- 80 form. our own supreme
court has declared that .he .aw OF
nations = Of universal Obligation
and 40 statute Of or two ma
lions can create obligations for the
world" The o~hligation OF that law
rests upon the common consent OF
civilized communities. 1t is Of force,
not because it was prescribed BY any
superior power. but because IL has
been generally accepted as Il rule OF
conduct" tStrong in the Scotia II
Wall I70. 1870. The point of the
matter is, that it is debatable how
far il would be wise 10 adopt Sen
Roots suggestion in this particular,
and the difference of opinion on that
subject is reelected in the failure of
the conference 20 embody it in the
amendments 20 the covenant.
Monroe Doctrine safe.
Il. The objections made by Mr..
Taft. Sen. Lodge. Justice Hughes. and
others. that the proposed covenant
would destroy or impair the Monroe
doctrine. have been met by the pro-
vision in Article Xxi. which eX-
pressly excludes the Monroe doctrine
from affect by the revised covenant
II is true hat the characterization
Of the Monroe doctrine has met with
not unjustihable criticism. Re
giOnal understandings for the secur-
ing and maintenance OF peace Is
hardly an apt description OF the
Monroe policy, adopted by the United
States as a national policy for its
own protection; and yet. in a certain
sense, it is %assuredly a policy adopted
10 secure the maintenance of peace.
and il is a regional understanding
in he sense that it is an understand
ing that the United States has de-
clared that the entire region Of the
American hemisphere is not 20 be
the planting ground for monarchial
institutions.
u. The objection that the league
should have no concern with the in
ternal affairs of a nation, such as
questions OF tariff, immigration.
coastwise traffic. and the like, is met
by the insertion of a new clause in
Article XIV:
IF the dispute between the par
ties is claimed by n Of them, n is
found by the council TO arise out of
a matter which by international law
is solely within the domestic juris-
diction OF that party. the council
shall so report. and shall make nc
recommendation as TO its settle
ment."
Revised Covenant Improved.
A consideration of these amend
ments clearly demonstrates that the
revised covenant is greatly improved
over the original. That it is not per
feet may well be conceded: that il
might be more clearly expressed in
more apt and cogent terms need not
be debated. Nevertheless. it consti-
tutes a great step forward.
The republican state convention
held at Saratoga on July 19, 1918,
adopted a platform which declared
We favor the immediate creation
by the United States and its allies
of a League of Nations to establish.
from time TO time TO modify. and 70
enforce the rules of international
law and conduct. The purpose of
this league should be, not to dis
place patriotism or devotion and 10y
atty 10 national ideals and traditions.
but rather 10 give 10 these new OPP
pOrtunities of expression in coopera-
ton with the other liberty-loving ma
tons of the world. To membership
in the league any nation might be
admitted. that possesses a RESPONSE
BILE government which will abide by
the rules of law and equity, and by
those principles Of international jus
tice and morality which are accepted
by civilized people"
The question before the republican
party today is whether it shall allow
a few senators blinded by passion
and resentment at the president and
his administration TO commit the
party Of great national and interna-
tional ideals 10 the reversal of its
principles. the abandonment Of it's
high mission and a position of cppo-
sition 10 the only practicable, attain
able plan before the world TO avert
from posterity the recurrence Of the
horror. the misery and the tragedy
OF further wars.