Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-30
ROOT GIVES LIGHT
ON THE A B C'S OF
INTERNATIONAL LAW
Continued from page

A. IL not advisable TO refer the matter
20 q committee Of experts for drafting.
am rather inclined TO follow Il "
that we have any particular point !
mind on which We have observations
10 offer, but merely IN order to make
s; sure that it leaves nothing TO he
desired as TO its precise wording. We
may instruct the committee 10 ex-
anime it in this sense and not 20
touch the substance OF it."
Those are brief extracts from the
cortous speeches made my zach dele
gate. but enough is presented here 20
show how Mr.. Root WAS covered by
the horcydcw OF diplomacy. After the
lattcv had been almost inundated by
words he rose for air. Compare hts 4
straight-from-the-s shoulder phrases
With the houoritcs above, Mr.. Root
gpcaks
Senator Schanssr hns asked
some Questions tu which shall reply.
he suggests that the resolution be
completed by including a definition
of merchant ship
1t could not be made clearer ~ (
the addition Of definitions, which
would only eerve 70 weaken and con-
fuse IL. The merchant ship, its treat
ment. its rights, its protection. ard
It's inlmunitics. are at the base OF thc
law q nations Nothing is more clear
~ or better understood than the. SUI
icct We call the merchant ship.
"Now with regard TO the proposal
Ia refer this matter TO Committee OF
law, far he IL from me 10 say any
thing derogstory Of the members Of
the profession Of which l have been
An humble member for more years than
Care 70 remember. They are the salt
Of the earth; they arc the nohlest work
OF God; they arc superior in intellect
and authority 20 all other people what
soeNcr. Rut both this Conference and
my own life are approaching their
termination. I do not wi u these res
cluticns 10 be in the hands OF a COM
mission even OF yawyers after We ad.
iourn.-
Mr.. Root then reminded his audi
|. tors that they had had ample oppor-
tunity 20 make a critical examination
OF the resolutions overnight. Il had
supposed that the experts in interna-
tional law brought mere for the pur-
pose of advising, would have been
asked whether this was a correcti
: statement % the rules and that we
would have here today the results
of that inquiry.
y would like 10 say that ! am en-
- titled 20 know whether any delega-
ton questions this statement OF cx-
listing international law. You are all
. ia favor OF the principle OF the reso' -
tion " 70 Is correct. Does this or does
IL not state the law Of Nations as ii
; exists? II Il does. you all arc in favor
p 90 ~ What then binders its adoption?"
, Mr.. Root then went through the y
I J. Cs OF international law regarding
p the manner in which submarines
should approach merchant vessels in
. time OF war-which is embodied in his
y proposals.
= "A merchant vessel must he
ordered TO stop for visit and search 10
determine its character before il can
BE- captured.
DO we not all know that is true?
II is long established principle.
"A merchant vessel must not g
= attacked unless It refuse 10 stop Tor
y sit and search after warning
"A merchant vessel must not be
. destroyed unless the crew and passen-
GERS have first been placed in safety
"Is there any question whatsoe Ier
as 20 the correctness OF these state
70 ments?"
n Turning 70 one OF the British legal
advisers. Mr.. Root asked, "Mr. NAL
!. kin. is there any doubt about that?"
II Mr.. Malkin replied that in prirci-
Yle." (good old diplomatic term when
A cne wishes 20 hedgeD there was "a
: q ubt az all.
But Mr.. Root was only warming up
10 his subject. Spruning TO resort 70
the sweet nothings of diplomacy in
= which the foreigners so often indulge
h got down 70 American brass tacks
and plead irnpassionsteiy for his res
oiutions which. IL adopted woull
practically remove the fangs from the
s tbmarine, so far as merchant ships
are concerned.
"it WAS the revolt OF humanity
against the position OF Germany that
led TO Germany's defeat. Is that not q
true rendering Of the opinion Of the
civilized world which we seek 70 ex-
press? Ny friend and colleagues, this
Is real lifc we are dealing with hero
This IS no perfunctory business for .
committee of lawyers. II is a state
ment Of action and of undisputeG
PRINCIPLES universally knowA and M;
open 20 discussion. put in sueh a form
that il may crystalline the publ
opinion OF the world. that there may
Be no doubt In any future war whe' /
er the kind Of action that sent down
the Iusitsnia is legitimate war y
piracy
.. Even as ycu are reading
TINS now the Committee on the Lini-
tation Of Armament Is meeting again
behind the closed doors of the Pan
American building. A little bird oi
beautiful plumage has just flown ont
and says that more honorifics are b :.
ing spilled over the place as the dele
gates are trying 10 agree on whether
Air. Roots resolutions shall be ado ot-
ca oI not.