The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-07-22

i
| Especial Dispatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1921. j
WASHINGTON. July %. = The
United States government is not inten-
tionally ignoring communications from
the league of nations and has not failed
TO note the invitation to this government
to become a member of the world court
of International justice created by the
league. ~-..
This attitude was made known yester-
day at the department of state to offset
published stories giving the impression
that the United States was somehow of
Tending the league of nations by refusing
to deal with its letters and communica-
tions. In the first place, the permanent
secretary of the league has been sending
out printed circulars to the various gov
ernments of the world and it was but
natural that one of the government bu-
reaus filed the circulars without regard
ing them in the same light as formal COM
municatiOns.
But what the secretary of the league
| of nations hasn't evidently taken into
consideration is that while all commu-
nicatiOns are duly received and filed, Sec
rotary Hughes is powerless to deal with
sire of the President of the United States
that America stay out of the league and
the evident concurrence of the senate in
that viewpoint. Ambassador Harvey
went a step further i'm his speech in Lon
don by saying the United States wouldn't
even deal directly or indirectly with any
committee or creature of the league of
nations and that's why both the White
| HouSe and department of state would be
embarrassed in dealing with the world
court for it would mean a reputation
of Ambassador Harvey's expression of
American policy.
Acceptance is Senate Privilege.
Thus far the executive branch of the
| United States government has not acted
on the invitation to become a member
of the world court. That invitation must
| be submitted to the senate to be ratified
| as it is in the nature of protocol State
| department officials decline to say
whether ii viii be sent to the senate. In
aSnmch as the Versailles treaty hasn't
been ratified and no substitute policy has
as yet been made public and since Presi-
| dent Harding and Senator Lodge have
! said i'm their speeches the league was
| dead" ii is difficult to accept any invi-
tatiOn from the league to Join any of the
| international Observation-Disclosures created by
| it. Elihu Root took part in framing the
world court and has been asked to help
| name judges for the court but the gov
erument here officially has no connection
even with that feature of the thing. as it
considers Mr.. Roots relationship to the
1 world court simply personal affair
| After the court is once established.
/ however, it viii be possible for nations
which are not members of the league
of nations to become identified with the
world court. accepting its jurisdiction for
as much or as little as is considered de-
sirable by the Individual nation. While
/ it's true that the world court was ere
ated by the league of nations and that
the method of providing judges depends
4 upon the council of the league. the court,
when once established. win operate as an
lationship whatsoever to international
| politics.
| The Stumbling Block.
| SO some day when the senate disposeS
/ of our political relationships with Ger
| many and the Versailles treaty prOvi-
| sions. the executive branch of our gov
| eminent may submit to the senate n pro-
/ tOcol covering membership in a world
| court. But there. too. il cannot be said
| that any decision has been reached for
one element in the Republican party. in
| Guiding President Harding and Senator
| Lodge. and the irreconcilables have an
| nounced that the league was dead while
| another group considers the league alive.
| In the midst of that double on this side
| of the Atlantic the secretary of the league
| of nations will have to be patient and
not be offended if he doesn't get answers
to the invitations being sent to our gov
| eminent to participate in various inter
4 national conferences being conducted by
| the league.