South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-06-22
THE LEAGUE AND ITS CORPSE

The League OF Nations will hold its election OF
judges the League international court Of justice
in September. That Is the court that Elihu Root
selected to help organize under the League
covenant the court that he helped organize; the
court IN defense OF which. instrument OF the
League, he promised the American people last fall
should have through entrance into the League
in case of the election OF Warren G. Harding
And the League in accordance with the
recommendation OF the court commission, approved
and adopted by the League assembly has called
upon the American members OF the Hague court
to make their nominations for judgeships. They
are requested submit four names and yet. Ameri-
ca has entered the League and far the
president is concerned, shows little disposition to do
Plainly enough it the intention OF the court
commission that the League court should succeed
the old Hague tribunal that had proven its i'm
Iotence-just another nice mess is which the Unit
ed States is left by its play OF partisan prejudice
Whether Messrs Root. Judge George Gray, John
Bassett Moore and Oscar s straus. American mem
bers of the Hague court will. with America outside
the League, have the super-governmental audacity
to make the nominations requested of them remains
to be seen. Oscar Straus was American chairman
in Paris the League TO Enforce Peace that work
ed with the peace conference to have the League
covenant; and until the United States senate made
it political issue. steadfast in its support.
So Root with a few minor reservations. and
both Gray and Moore have admitted the impotence
of the Hague tribunal and the need of something
stronger and effective for international prob
lens
But evidently there is something wrong with the
presidents repeated that the League is
dead What he means by death. is indeed difficult
to comprehend. The League is not only proceeding
to organize its international court by the selection
o. judges, but gone into open session
in settlement OF the Swedish Finland controversy
over the Aland islands. 1t has also Iut stop to
the manufacture Of fire arms for importation, or
otherwise. the free city of Danzig under League
control. The splurge at Washington disarma-
ment is largely accentuated by a desire of anti
Leaguers in the senate get in ahead of a League
commission that Is working on a disarmament pro-
gram and will probably be ready to report at the
meeting Of the assembly. oh yes the League
is dead" saith the president. and then he directs
his ambassador the court Of st. James. sit by
unoficially. and possibly advise a little at the
sons OF the council-and the council OF the allies
to witness the corpse" perform.
Is it dead? Isn't 1t just barely possible that
have become somewhat exaggeratve in our self
assumed Importance international power such
leads to imagine that the League cannot live
without US? Indeed while extending to the olive
branch repeatedly. inviting us to be present at
League deliberations. join in the formation of the
League international court etc. isn't It possible
that taking note of Jingoistic and egotistical
attitude the League is all the while evolving
into alliance with protection against America
and American ambitions. a hidden. sinister Iuc-
pose secretly regarding us with somewhat the
derision the world had come to regard Germany?
Perhaps the League is dead. the president likes
to assert but If it is there is no use of further
denying the science of the haunted house. The
corpse authenticates the fact