Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-09-15
JUR|STS FINISH
PREPARATION Of
!. DRAFT FOR NEW
WORLD TRIBUNAL
Judges Shall Be Elected, Re-
gardIess of Nationality,
and Must Be Men of High
, Moral Character.
COUNCIL EXPRESSES
NO VIEWS ON MERITS
Members Are to Be Elected
for Nine Years; Seat OF
Court Is to be Established
At the Hague.

10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wtRIi
London, Sept, 14.-The head
quarters of the league of nations
today made public the text of the
project for a permanent court of
international justice as adopted by
The Hague committee of jurists of
which Elihu Root was a member,
together with a letter from the
council of the league to all govern
ments which have entered the
league.
The letter says:
"The council do not propose to
express any opinion on the merits
of the scheme until they have had
a full opportunity of considering
it."
1t states. however, that the pro-
ject was prepared by most COM
petent tribunal representing widely
different national points of view,
and adds:
THE council would regard as ir-
reconciliable 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 important of the
tasks which it was invited to per-
form. The failure would be great
and probably irreparable; for. if
agreement proves impossible under
circumstances apparently as favor
able, it is hard to see how and
when the task Of securing it will be
successfully resumed"
The council states it will later
submit its recommendations to the
assembly of the league of nations.
Draft of Proposed Court.
The draft of the proposed world
court given out today consists of
sixty-two articles divided into three
chapters on organization. COM
petence of court and procedure. A
preamble states the general pur-
poses of the court as follows:
"A permanent court of interna-
tional justice to which parties shall
have direct access, is hereby es-
tablished in accordance with article
XIV of the covenant of the league
or nations. This court shall be in
addition to the court of arbitration
organized by The Hague conven-
ton Of 1899 and 1907, and to the
special tribunals of arbitration tol
which states are always at liberty
to submit their disputes for settle
ment."
Article II and III give the mem
bership of the court as follows:
'The permanent court of inter-
national Justice shall be composed
of a body of independent judges,
elected regardless of their nation
ality from amongst persons of high |
moral character who posses the |
qualifications required in their re-
spective countries. for appointment
to the highest judicial offices, or
are jurisconsults of recognized
competence in international law.
1.-THE court shall consist of fifteen
members; eleven judges and four
deputy judges. The number OF
judges and deputy judges may be
hereafter increased by the assem-
bly, upon the proposal of the coun-
Gil of the league of nations, to
total of fifteen judges and SIX
deputy judges"
Manner of Choosing 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 president and vice
president of the court serve tor
three years. The seat of the court
is established at The Hague, a ses-
sion shall be held each year begin
ming June Is and an extra session
may be called whenever necessary
by the president of the court, who
must reside at The Hague The
full court shall sit. but If eleven
judges are not available, nine
judges shall suffice to constitute