Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-28
ELIHU ROOT
By DR.. Frank Crane

One OF the foremost Americans OF lnCerna-
tional reputation is Llihu Root.
He made a speech on April 27 before the
American Society of International Law.
Some of the points he made may be of
value to the general reader as here selected
and rearranged:
1.-THE parliament Of man may come just as
the parliament Of Great Britain, France, ana
Italy have come but it must be by growth
and not by force.
''The force of Russia, which aims to i'm
pose internationalisms upon the world, halts
the DEVELOPMENT of international law, the
very foundation of which the existing gov
eminent of Russian now repudiates
1.-The armistice of November IL, 1918, left
for the allied powers two quite distinct tasks
The first was to decide upon the terms OF
peace and to secure compliance with those
terms That was matter Of force. The sec
ond was to give effect to the universal desire
of the civilized world by bringing all civiliz-
ed nations into an agreement for the future
preservation of peace. That was a matter
not of force, but of reason.
"The difficulties of the Versailles confer
ence arose from the fact that they attempted
to tie together both these things in the same
treaty.
"The issues of the war have passed into a
new and prolonged state Of discussion.
Before long these issues will be settled
for the time being and peace will be restored.
"The brutal and cruel despotism which
now oppresses the people of Russia will meet
the fate which awaits the violation of eco
nomic laws, and, failing to be rescued by
those friends who are coming to their assist
ance in other countries, will fall, and the
people of Russia will come to their own.
whether we agree to the formula of the
League of Nations or not the general desire
Of the civilized world will somehow give
permanent form to institutions to prevent
further war.
'"The message of the President of the
United States to congress on April IL said
that we have pledged our efforts to an asso-
citation of nations based upon the appl1ca-
ton Of justice and right which binds us In
conference and cooperation for the proven
ton of war. The pledge to which the Presi-
dent referred was contained in the hepubll-
can platform. -.
sit is apparent that the attitude of the
League and the attitude. of America toward
this subject do not differ in substance, how
ever much they may differ in mode.
1.-THE existing situation presents difficult
ties in arriving at common understanding,
but l an not willing to assume that the pa
thence and good sense of the world including
our own country, will be unequal to the task
of securing final agreement.
Conference upon matters Of policy and
the establishment of law are not alternative
and opposing methods They are mutually
supplemental parts of one and the same
scheme to prevent war.
1.-THE public opinion Of mankind is so
mighty force that it is competent to con-
troll the conduct of nations as public opinion
of the community controls the conduct of in
dividuals.
''In place of dynastic conditions the danger
of war is now to be found in popular misun-
derstandngs and resentments.
Progress will be slow, but all advance of
civilization is slow. Not what ultimate OBJ
ject we can attain in our short lives, but
what tendencies toward higher standards of
conduct in the world we can aid during our
generation, is the test that determines our
duty of service.
Copyright, 1921, by Frank Crane)