The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-05
Secretary Of State Carries
Fight For League Tribunal
To New York While Speaking
AT University Celebration
NATIONS OF WORLD LIKE
STATES, LEADER ASSERTS
Laws May Regulate Interna-
tional Questions lust As
They Do Domestic, Cabinet
Member Says In Address

NEW YORK, June 1.-Two thou
sand members of the bench and bar
heard Secretary of State Charles
Evans Hughes plead for Americas
entrance into the world court toni ght
al the Kent Centennial celebration at
Columbia university.
Justice Edward r. Finch of the
appellate division of the New York
supreme court, who introduced Sec
rotary Hughes, also defended the
court and pointed out that the teach
ings of James Kent. the former CO.
lumbia professor in whose memory
the meeting was held showed that
states or nations, being composed of
individuals, were subject to wrong
doing and should be treated as indi-
viduals for their misdeeds.
Secretary Hughes said the tram
guilty of the world depended upon
the existence of a world court just
as the tranquility of the United
States and its various states has de-
pended and still depends upon the
courts.
"Our courts" de declared, still re-
main the assurance of our domestic
peace. This is true in international
as well as in national affairs If we
have tranquil states, it is because we
have the supreme urt Of the United
States. If controversies over legal
rights are to be determined peace
1uIIN. CncTe must be a tribunal to de-
termine them"
THE American love of peace and
sense of right" he said, land the CON-
Viction born of our own experience,
have made 1t a definite part of Amer
lean policy that we should do all IN
our power to secure provision for the
peaceful settlement of international
disputes by the establishment of
permanent tribunal of international
justice.
Temporary Courts Uncertain
"Our interests as nation require
1t, In order to give more adequate
protection to our rights; the inter-
ests of world peace demand it."
Secretary Hughes asserted that
temporary tribunals We're imperfect
both in the choice of arbitrators and
in the likelihood of the intrusion of
political considerations.
How unsatisfactory Is such
method" he added, "as compared
with the opportunity to submit a
controversy to a permanent interna-
tional court composed of the ablest
and most partial judges. acting as a
court in accordance with judicial
standings. and giving their con-
tinuous and expert service to the
Interpretation and application Ct in
ternational law.
Praises Kent
Those who say that we should
perfect international laws before we
nave permanent court of Internal
tional justice ignore the fact that
IN the meantime we must have ar
bitral tribunals to decide our con-
troversies of a justifiable nature; we
cannot, in difference to our historic
policy refuse to submit such cases to
arbitration. These critics also ignore
the enormous service that an inter-
national court may render with the
materials now at its command in the
development of international law"
Speaking at the centennial ami
versary Of Columbias acquisition Of
James Kent as a permanent pro-
lessor, Secretary Hughes eulogized
the famous American judge and de-
clared he was justly acclaimed as the
father Of American Jurisprudence"
lie pointed out, in describing
kents life and career, that whereas,
century ago. little and poor law
was produced in America, now it was
the nations chief product, thus
creating an imperative need fer COM
petent exposition of the law