Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-30
u. S. SURE TO JOIN
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
IN YEAR Is CLAIM
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of these documents. though not a
member of the league of nations. should
have dominating influence in the for
nation of the permanent court of inter-
national justice which g to be the cor
ner stone OF the league. is the great
anomaly of the meetings being held at
The Hague. 1t is both unexpected and
unusual that nation which has so
seriously DANA ged the idea of the
league of nations should nevertheless
see its own viewpoint and eXper ence
largely predominant in one of the most
vital fields of activity of tho league
The reason is not far to seek. II
lies in the personality of two mem
Elihu Root, foi mer Secretary of State.
and James Brown Scott. former So
licitor of the State Department and
now head of the Carnegie Endowment
for international Peace. at Washing
ton. To their tact and Judgment is
due much of the direction which the
whole committee is taking. as well as
the fact that the court which eventu-
ally evolves from the deliberations
here will be a court wholly in line
with American ideals and experience.
These two men hold. in the minds
of European jurists, unique posi-
ton. 1t cannot be too strongly en-
phasized that they do not represent
the United States government in any
sense, for they have been appointed
directly by the council of the league
of nations on the basis of their very
high standing among the leading jur-
lists of the world. They are, there
fore on the same footing as the other
eminent jurists summoned by an in
ternational organization to perfect
plans for a world court.
Nevertheless their position as Ameri-
cans adds Significance to their presence,
for the statesmen of Europe are only
10 he hiOnaSS n
spirit and viewpoint which allowed Mr..
Root especially. with his well known
political alignments in the United states.
to accept an appointment by an organi-
his own country and even his own
political party has expressed such
vehement opposition.
"Of course. the fact that he has been
willing to serve is taken, whether right
~ or wrongly, as an indication that this
foremost of American statemen accepts
at least the broad lines of the existing
league of nations
Like L. y. Supreme Court.
THE committee had not been sitting
a week before il was possible to fore
cast that the court would follow eX-
actly the lines of the Supreme Court
of the United States. This result fol-
lowed not only from the logic of the
situatio but also from the presenta-
zion of the analogy of Americas court
by Mr. Root. 1t is possible that the
same results would have been reached
without the presence of Mr. Root, but
Ut cannot be doubted that they were
greatly expedited.
1t is curious commentary on the
situation that only by the failure of
the Lodge reservations in the last
CONFESS was it possible for Mr.. Root
, to go abroad, for one of these reserva-
{ tons forbade any American from &C
ant inc my he laup 10
of nations without the consent of the
Senate. and made no provision for re-
cess appointments in the event that
the Senate was not in session.
Perhaps the most interesting excerpt
! from documents discussing the meet
: ings now taking place in the council
of the league and its subcommittee is
| the following:
! THE league of nations is building
/ strongly. but not at all spectacularly,
wholly new method of internati onal
CO. operation is going to come out of
| IL. 1t will not. of course. be either
, the creator of the millennium, as SO
many of its friends say, nor the
/ feel. Quite on the other hand, il will
! be very practical and essential
! working medium through which the
nations can meet regularly on all
matters of common interest and draw
up program to be submitted TO their
respective states for approval or dis
approval.
! THE league of nations. therefore. is
a going concern, flexible enough in
| it's organization to permit modfica l.
| tion % its constitution and bylaws
| SO that America can enter il without
| fear of being outvoted or compelled
| to go to war at the behest of other
| nations. And when the present politi-
cal campaign is over, whether Mr.
| Harding or Mr.. Cox is elected there
are going to be notifications TO reas
| sure the American public American
in the league looks more
likely today with the prominent part
Mr.. Root is playing in it's delibera-
| tions than at any time since the con-
troVersy between President Wilson
and his opponents began to becloud
| the issue.