New-York tribune., 1921-09-13
Roots Refusal
OF Judgeship
Vexes League;
Faction Unfriendly to U. S.
Likely to Oppose Nam.
ing of Either Moore or
Pound ON World Court
Harding Rebuff Hinted d
Jurist's Share in Disarm-
ing Council and White
House Conference Cited
By Wilbur Forrest
Special Cable to The Tribune

Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Inc
GENEVA. Sept. 12.-Definite word
from Elihu Root declining the honor of
his certain election to judgeship in
the international Court of Justice, and
possibly its presidency, has created an
unfavorable impression among many
members of the League of Nations As
senibly here and will act also to mini
mize the possibility of the election of
any American delegate.
News that Mr.. Root had accented
President Harding's appointment to
represent the United States at the
Washington Conference on the Limita-
tion of Armaments came so close on
the heels of his refusal TO walk in
league company that it strengthens a
rather widespread suspicion here that
the United States is proposing the or
ganization of rival society Of nations
and that Mr.. Roots refusal to sit on
the league court follows counsel from
the White House and State Department,
which he visited several days ago.
Moore and Pound Lose Ground
The reaction from this suspicion
brings the possibility that the growing
element in the League of Nations which
already is operating on the basis that
America never will enter the league
will throw it's strength against the
election Of John Bassett Moore and
Roscoe Pound, the two remaining
American candidates for the confer
ence. A poll of assemblymen from
many nations to-day failed to find any
warm supporters for the plan to give
r,rIr 10 Ax~,o
the other hand there seemed to be an
undercurrent Of sentiment against this
The balloting will begin on Wednes-
day.
Receipt of the news of Mr.. Roots
refusal caused great activity to-day
among the members of the league
| secretariat, which includes American
attaches, fmany Of whom are Harvard
men who favor Mr.. Pound. Harvard
alumnus.
Electioneering continued all day
where the conference met this after
noon, but also in all the haunts of
members of the league. The Tribune
learned that the secretarat was using
every effort to support the movement
for an American judge, and secondly,
that it was recitng the qualifications
of Mr.. Pound as against Mr.. Moore's.
1t was indicated, however, if the
league Assembly elects any American
it will doubtless be Mr. Moore, as Mr..
Pound is virtually unknown, and Mr..
Moore's name is familiar to all those
acquainted with international law, be-
cause of the books he has written on
the subject.
Leon Bourgeois, of France, speaking
to the association to-day on the subject
of Americas failure to join the league,
said the great question was whether
or not the moral influence of the
League of Nations was increasing.
Arms Conference Mentioned
ANXIETY has been caused friends of
the United States because it has not
seen fit to enter the league and has
summoned a conference at Washington
to deal with disarmament" said M
Bourgeois "Should this give us cause
for anxiety? We have never attempted
to induce any state to join us. We
have every respect for national ideals
and national prejudices. 1t isn't our
business.
1--WE go on with our work, conscious
that we are doing the right thing and
leave other people to go their way.
The Washington conference will deal
with questions of the Pacific and dis
armament and the nations concerned.
"We are very glad to see other peo-
pie dealing with this same question of
disarmament, inspired by the same
principles as ourselves. They are
working for the same object as we are
and we wish them every SUCCESS in
their work. We must not listen to
wild accusations and rumorso