The Penn's Grove record., 1923-11-30
World Court Plea
Made to Coolidge
Delegation Representing The Protes-
tant Churches Asks Him To
Foster Our Entry

OluICueS OI Tile country To-Day 10 use
his influence in having the United
States become a member of the Perma-
nent Court of International Justice.
A delegation of Churchmen and lay
men visited the President with the
plea. They represented the Federal
Council of Churches, which includes
thirty communiOns, with a member
ship of 10000, 900, and also for the
Southern Baptist, Unitarian and Uni
v~ersalist Churches, which number sew
eral millions more.
No expression RAJ asked from the
President. The delegation merely left
a statement signed by 500 religious
leaders in all parts of the country, beg
ging for this nations entrance into
the World Court. President Coolidge
thanked his visitors for calling and it
was understood that he would give
their request due consideration.
After they left the White House the
delegation presented to Secretary
Hughes a statement approving his
efforts to bring about an economic
conference to examine into the finan-
cial condition of Germany. In add
jtion they handed to the Secretary a
document adopted by the Administra-
tive Committee of the council express
ing its belief that the United States
should call a conference to deal with
the whole economic and political stu
alton in Europe.
Plea Made To President
The document presented to Presi-
dent Coolidge read:
eve, the undersigned profoundly be-
lieve that the United States should CO.
operate with the other nations of the
world in establishing world Justice
and world peace.
We, therefore,, heartily endorse the
proposal of the late President Hard
ing in his message to the Senate on
February "a, 1923, that the United
States become a member of the Per-
manent Court of International JUS
tice.
"We also believe that all nations
should agree to submit to imperial tri-
bunals all disputes that threaten the
peace of the world, which they cannot
solve by the usual processes of diplo-
macy and conference.
"In the World Court of Justice we
see not only the fruition and consum-
nation of many decades of American
discussions, plans and desires for peace
through justice based on law but also
a concrete expression of the Christian
spirit that is needed, the promise of
a larger and truer righteousness and
justice among nations, a step forward
in the establishment of the Kingdom
of God"
The document given to Secretary
Hughes read:
"The Administrative Committee of
the Federal Council of the Churches
of Christ in American believes that it
is voicing the moral Judgment of the
overwhelming majority of thoughtful
Christian people in making the follow
ing declaration:
"First: We believe that the United
States should accept its full share of
responsibility for bringing about an
effective settlement of international
problems. There are those who think
the Government has a mandate from
the people to pursue a policy of aloof-
ness. We do not thus understand the
situation. The Churches have declar-
ed, and must declare again, their CON
victions that generals cooperation
among the nations is absolutely neces-
sary to cope with the present hungry
strife , uncertainty and despair of the
world.
"The participation of the United
States is indispensable to successful
cooperative action. An attitude of
aloofness exposes our foreign policy to
the charge of timidity and Ineffective
ness. The present crisis in Europe
summons US not to pass Judgment on
other peoples but, in a spirit of humll-
itv. and self-examination, to review
our own attitude as a nation and to
ask ourselves how we may, by CO.
operation, help to meet the overwhelm-
ing responsibility which rests upon the
entire world.
Suggests Conference Be Called
"Second: We believe that the United
States should take the initiative in
calling an international conference
to considey. the whole economic and
political situation in Europe, including
~reparations. debts and ornaments, in
fine endeavor to accomplish in Europe
a result capable to that which was
achieved by the Four-Power pact In
the Far East.
"We welcome the suggestion of the
late President Harding in his message
to Congress on December g., when, IN
referring to that agreement, he said:
Tt might be made a model for like as
wherever in the world any
common interests are concerned.
We believe in the value of conferences
and consultation in the effectiveness
of leaders of nations looking each
other in the face
"In calling such a conference we be-
lieve that the United States should
make it known, as it did at the open
inc session of the conference on the
limitation of armament, that we are
ready to make, in common with other
nations, whatever concessions, imam
cial or otherwise, may be necessary
to bring about an ordered interna-
tional life a.,
We are convinced that a sacrifclal
spirit on our part would evoke a viii
Tngness in other nations also to make
the adjustments that may be needed;
Orr plans for reconstruction should