Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-22
WORLD COURT is NOT
A SUBSTITUTE LEAGUE
the Creature of the League Deriving Its Force From That Or
ganzation-s Functions Are Clearly Defined and III No
Wav Sacrifice National Sovereignty
Brooklyn Daily Eagle.


| After Mr.. Harding had been nom
| mated last year there was a long wait
before he definitely committed himself
on the subject Of the League of Ne
tions His speech OF acceptance was
purpo..ly vague and carefully gauEed
to satisfy the extreme elements within
the Republican party n was not long
however. before the demand for aome
more definite statement made IL neres-
sary for the Republican candidate t.
make some positive declaration Of his
position, This he did in his speech Of
| August 2S.
He denounced the League as a mi1i-
| tary alliance Of the great Powers.
with which we could have nothing TO
do This military alliance he repre-
sented as impotent 10 prevent war and
cited the case Of Poland and Russia.
Rut he was ready 10 do something
more than speak negatively. He had
constructive plan 10 offer As a sub
stitute for the League. with its
scheme "for imposing its will upon
the helpless peoples Of the world II
was then that he outlined his plan for
an association Of free nations, based
upon a World Court.
Mr.. Elhtu Root was i'm Europe re-
viving The Hague Tribunal and draw
ing up plan for an international
Court as part OF the League Of Ma
tions Mr. Harding referred To MIR.
Roots work and to the fact that we
uere already q member Of The Hague
Tribunal. TO the objection that The
Hague Tribunal lacked teeth the cam
lielate declared, Very well. lets put
teeth into it," and added. Il would
even go further. / would take and
combine all that is good and excise all
that is bad from both organizations"
the League and The Hague Court
Quoting viscount Greys suggestion
that America be invited To draft a
| reconstruction scheme" for the
League. Mr. Harding said his plal.
"eomprehends substs nttaIly what /
would propose 20 do If elected Presi-
dent" Further along he said that
there would be no material delay"
Il should give very earnest and prac-
tically undivided attention to this very
vital subject from the day of my cleo
ton" In the same speech he reiter-
dltu MS DETERMINATION W Va sc AitS
prompt passage of q resolution ending
the technical state OF war. but de-
clared most emphatically: Il have no
expectation whatever of finding it
necessary or advisable TO negotiate a
separate peace with Germany"
The purpose in quoting this is not
merely 10 show the Inconsistencies In
the present attitude of the Harding
Administration, but to bring the rec
ord down to date. The formal peace
resolution has not yet been passed
and the question of a separate peace
with Germany remains undecided. But
there has been a marked change in
the status of the World Court which
/ was 10 form the basis for Mr.. Har-
ding's Association of free nations
/ He still speaks favorably of such al
lassoeia ton. and both the President and
/ Secretary Of State Hughes have re-
Gently expressed their continued faith
! in an international tribunal to estao-
! fish justice and obviate recourse tc
arms in the settlement of international
1 disputes.
| Mr.. Root completed his work in con-
nection with The Hague Tribunal and
the League Court most successfully
He revived the former. as Mr.. Har-
ding predicted. and made it an integral
part of a World Court. He drew up
a plan for such court, which was
formally submitted to the League and
has since been presented TO the va
rious nations for ratification. Italy,
Sweden. Denmark and Switzerland
have ratified the statute creating Lthe
World Court. 1t is now before the
ParIiaments of Great Britain, France,
Greece. the Netherlands, Japan and
other nations. In short, the Court is
practically ready to begin its impor-
tant work.
In carrying out Mr.. Hardin's ideas.
Mr. Root revived The Hague Tribunal
and gave to il the power to propose