New-York tribune., 1920-09-15
League Makes
Public Root
Courts Terms
Council ASSERTS 1t Would
Regard IrrecOncilable Diff
ference of Opinion ON
Merits as Grave Misfortune
Recommendations Later
Draft Consists of 62 Arsi-
cles ON Procedure, Organ
iza,ion and Competence

LONDON. Sept. 14.-Headquarters Of
.se League OF Nations to-day made
rublic the text of the project for q
tournament court Of international JUS
tire as adopted by the Hague Commit
zoe of Juris.s, Of which Elihu Root was
member. together With letter from
she Council of the League to all
Governments which have entered the
League of Nations.
The Council Of the League, in It's
litter to the COVE rnments. says: "The
eouncil do not propose to express any
o,iuion on the merits Of the scheme
until they have had full opportunity,
Of considering it," 1t says, however,
that the project was prepared by a
most competent tribunal. representing
widely different national points of view.
II adds: The council would regard
an irreconcllable difference of opinion
on the merits of the scheme as an
International misfortune of the gravest
kind. 1t would mean that the league
was publicly compelled to admit its
incapacity to carry out one of the most
imnortant OF the tasks which it was in
vited to perform. The failure would
be great ard probably irrepara BILE; for,
il agreement proves impossible under
circumstances apparently so favorable,
it is hard 10 see how and when the
task of securing it will be successfully
resumed
To Submit Recommendations
The council announced it will later
submit its recommendations to the
Assembly OF the League of Nations.
Some of the features of the proposed
world court have already been sum
married. from the Hague, but the draft
given out to-day gives the exact terms
OF the entire project, consisting OF
sixty-two articles. divided into three
CHAPTERS on organization, competence
OF court and procedure. A preamble
SAYS of the general purposes of the
court, are as follows:
"A permanent court of international
Justice, to which parties shall have
direc, access. ls hereby established. in
accordance with Article XIV of the
covenant Of the League of Nation. This
court shall be in addition to the Court
OF Arbitration organized by the Hague
conventions Of 1899 and 1907. and to
the special tribunals of arbitration,
to which states arc always at liberty
10 submit their disputes tor settle
ment.".
Membership of the Court
Articles and give the member
snip Of the court as follows:
THE Permanent Court of Interna-
tionaI Justice shall be composed of
body Of independent judges. elected
regardless of their nationality, from
among persons of high moral char
acter. who possess the qualifications
required. in their respective countries,
for appointment to the highest judicial
oFices. or are jursconsults OF recog-
r:zed competence in international law.
The court shall consist of fifteen
mem mbers: Eleven judges and four
deputy judges. The number of jud ges
and deputy judges may be hereafter
increased by the Assembly, upon the
proposal of the Council of the League
of Nations, to total Of fifteen juWges
and six deputy judges"
The manner Of choosing the judges
BY the different national groups is
provided, The members of the court
are elected for nine years. The presl-
dent and vice president of the court
serve for three years.
Permanent Seat at Hague
Tie seat of tho court is established
e The Hague. a session shall be held
each year, beginning June II, and an
extraordinary session may be called
whenever necessary by the president
Of the court, who must reside at The
Hague. The full court Of eleven judges
shall sit, but if eleven are not avail
able, nine Judges shall suffice to con-
ktitute the court. Three judges sit in
chambers annually TO hear and deter
mine summary procedure. Salaries Of
sne court are fixed and expenses borne
~ the League of Nations.
Article 81 gives the court jurisdic-
ton over suits between states. The
court is open by right to states belong
ing to the league. Other states may
nave access 10 it under conditions pro-
"ded by the league.
Article SO provides: when a dis
pite has arisen between states, and it
Fas been found impossible % settle it
7y diplomatic means, and 70 agreement