Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-12-30
RESOLUTION TO GOVERN
USE OF SUBS ACCEPTED
BY THE COMMITTEE
CONTINUED from Pase one.)

it is not inconsistent"
AS to Senator Schanzer's sug-
gestion that merchant ships be de-
fined in the proposed live-power
declaration, Mr.. Root said:
The Merchant Ship.
Nothing is more clearly or bet
ter understood than the subject we
call merchant ship. The merchant
ship, it's treatment. its rights, its
protection and its immunlties are
at the base of the law Of ma
tons"
| He had hoped yesterday. Mr..
Root continued, that the delega-
lions would seek expert legal
opinion on his proposals over
night and that I'VE would have had
here today the results Of that in
curry"
II would like to say" he con-
tinued, that l am entitled to know
whether any delegation questions
this statement of existing inSerna-
tional law. You are all in favor
of the principle of the resolution If
it is correct. Does this, or does
it not state the law of nations as
it exists? If 1t does, you are all in
favor Of 1t. What. then, hinders
its adoption"
Reads Brief Principles.
Mr.. Root read again the brief
principles Of his article one and
again asked If there was any ques-
ton as to the correctness.
Mr.. Maxim" he said, turning to
one of the British legal advisers, lis
there any doubt about that?"
Mr.. Maxim replied that 'in prin-
eiple there was no doubt at ALL"
Mr.. Root then took up his reso-
luton proposing strict application
of the rules he had set forth for
submarines as well as other naval
craft.
THE public opinion of the world
says" he said, that the submarine
is not under any circumstances eX-
empt from the rules above stated.
That is q negation of the assertion
of Germany in the war that If a
submarine could not capture a mer-
chant vessel in accordance with
established rules, the rule must fail
and the submarine was entitled to
make the capture. The public
opinion OF the civilized world has
denied this and has rendered its
judgment in the action that won
the war. II was the revolt OF hu-
mainly against the position of Ger
many that led to GermanyS de-
teat.
Dealing With Real Life.
! My friends and colleagues, this
is real life we are dealing with here.
This is no perfunctory business for
a committee of lawyers. 1t is a
statement of action and Of undis-
puted principles universally known
and not open to discussion, but in
such form that it may crystalline the
public opinion or the world, that
there may be no doubt in any future
war whether the kind of action
| that sent down the Lusitania is le-
Ultimate war or piracy.
! 1--WE cannot justify ourselves In
separating without some declaration
that will give voice to the human
opinion of the world upon this sub
ject, which was the most vital, the
most heartfelt, the most stirring
! to the conscience and to the feeling
OF the peopio Of all our countries oil
anything that occurred during the
late war.
II should be ashamed to go on
with this conference, without some
declaration, some procurement
for the Capitalization of the opin-
ion of mankind in the establish
ment Of a rule which will make
it plain to all the world that no |
man can commit such an act (as |
the sinking of the Lusitania) again
without being stigmatized as a pl- |
rate"
Rejected By League.
Mr.. Root briefly rehearsed the /
rejection by the assembly of the |
league of nations of the proposal |
of the advisory committee of justice |
assembled by the council of the |
league that a conference for the !
advancement of international law,
be created.
1.-The door was closed" he said. I
"Where do we stand? Is this not to
be a world regulated by law?"
The speaker said there was no |
adequate law to govern submarines, T
air craft or poison gases and /
somebody must move" His reSo !
luton, he said, proposed to restate |
the "rules OF war that have been |
trampled under foot, Haunted and |
disregarded."
as there a delegation here" he
continued, that can afford to go |
ba ok to its own people and say TO
them upon the proposal being pre-
scented to us we referred It TO n
committee of lawyers and adjourn
ed?'
IT am not going to be buried un-
der a committee of lawyers myself, /
and these rules cannot be buried
under them. Either we speak
clearly and intelligently the voice OF
humanity which sent us there, ano
to which we must report, or that
voice will speak for itself and,
speaking without us, will be our
condemnation"
Asks For Vote.
Mr.. Root said he opposed REFER
ence of the solution ito a commit
tee Of lawyers or to any other COM
mittee.
Il ask for a vote upon It here"
he said.
Sir John Salmond, for New
Zealand, also opposed reference TO
a legal committee. but warned
against haste. He pointed out that
read literally" paragraph three
of article one would mean that
even merchant ship which re-
fused to stop when signalled by q
submarine could not be attacked
until her passengers and crew had
been placed in safety.
He also said article two had not
disclosed its relation as a pro-
posed eventual substitute for arti-
Gle one until Mr.. Root had ex-
planned its purpose.
Supports Roots Argument.
Senator Lodge declared sim"
plicity OF statement was the first
aim in reaffirming the rules of
warfare, and that the Root resolu-
lions accomplished that object. He
supported Mr.. Roots argument
and opposed reference to a legal
committee, saying there were in
the delegations those able to put
the statement as to submarine
rules In proper form.
what | should like to see done