Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-01
BAR ASSOCIATION
COMMITTEE FAV0RS
U. s. IN WORLD COURT

New York, Feb. 2S-The committee
on international law of the Associa-
ton of the Bar Of the City of New
York, headed by Elihu Root. has
recommended to the association
adoption of a resolution setting forth
that the United States should be-
come one of the supporters of the
Permanent Court of International
Justice and indorsing President
HardinS's recent message to the Sen
ate
The recommendation was made in
4 report Of the committee submitted
to the association today. The resO-
luton read:
THE Association of the Bar Of the
City Of New York joins in what it
believes to be the wise judgment of
the American people that the United
supporters of the Permanent Court
Of international Justice at The
Hague, and that our government
should therefore adhere to the pro-
tocOl establishing the court in the
manner set forth by the president in
his message to the Senate of Feb
ruary "a, 1928"
OF the resolution. the report said:
'In the opinion of your committee
this court in every material respect
conforms to the project urged upon
the second Hague conference in 1907.
by the American delegation under
the express instruction of the Ameri-
can government and powerfully main
tanned by Joseph II. Choate as the
head Of tho delegation.
1T is based upon the example of
the supreme court Of the United
States and is intended to apply to in
ternational controversies the same
methods of hearing and decision
which that court has applied to con-
troversies between the states of the
American Union.
1T responds to the established I'M
varying policy OF the United States
which found early expression IN the
Jay treaty with Great Britain Of
1894. and which has been illustrated
by scores CT treaties and repeated
resolutions of Congress and by de-
ciarations and acts CT substantially
every administration for more than
a century in favor of the peaceful
settlement of international contro-
versies.
The creation of the court is a
moderate step in progress IN pufsu-
ance Of that established American
policy and along the line urged upon
the other nations by the government
of the United States.
such 4 permanent court was pro-
nosed by the United States to the
first Hague conference in 1899 under
Instructions to the American delesa-
ton by Secretary Hay in the admin
istration of President Mckinley
The report then cited instructions
to the American delegates to the sec
ond Hague conference in 1907 to seek
establishment Of an international
court the report made to Congress
in 1907 by President Roosevelt on
the progress made at the conference,
and the expression of regret Volced
by Secretary Knox in an official note
in 1903 during the Taft admnistra-
ton that the court had not been es-
tablished.
Closing the report said:
For practically all the nations
upon whom the United States urged
the establishment of such court as
this while Roosevelt was president,
the then unsettled question has been
settled by time and good temper,
as Roosevelt prophesied. The ques-
ton now is whether the United
states shall repudiate its own policy
when other nations have accepted
it
Besides Mr.. Root. those signing the
report were: Abram !. Elkus, John
G. Milburn, Morgan J. O'Brien. Alton
r. Parker. Frank l.. Polk. Munroe
smith. Charles II. Strong, and George
w. Wickersham.