Evening star., 1923-09-19
The World Court.

Senator Borah of Idaho, stout cir
reconcilable" on the league of nations
issue and opponent of anything that
smacks Of the United States becoming
politically entangled with European
affairs, is quoted as saying that he is
ready to vote for ratification of the
world court protocol based on terms
laid down by the late President Hard
ing in his st. Louis speech. Apparent
ly the late Presidents bid for "irre-
concilabIe" support for the court idea
has born fruit.
In his st. Louis address. delivered
June 81, the late President proposed
the absolute separation Of the world
court from the league of nations. He
proposed that the selection of the
judges of the court be taken from any
agency Of the league; that the pay.
ment of the expenses Of the court be
divorced from the league, and that
the court should no longer be special
adviser or counselor Of the league, but
should be the counselor of any of the
nations adhering to the court plan. In
effect, the result of Mr.. Harding's
proposals would be the establishment
of a court absolutely independent of
the league and non-political. Such
court, Senator Borah feels, he could
well s0pport. It is in line with the
opinions long held by him.
The statement Of Senator Borah
points the way to support for the
world court idea by President Cool
idge without the threatened disrup-
tion Of the republican party over that
tribunal. President Coolidge has main
tanned silence with regard to the world
court since his entrance into the
White House, and while he was Vice
President in none of his public utter
ances did he discuss the court. But
President Coolidge has said that he in
general intended to support the poll
cies Of the late President, Of which
adherence to the world court was one.
Under the Interpretation set upon the
st. Louis speech of Mr.. Harding, Mr..
Coolidge would support a vastly diff
ferent tribunal from that now estab-
lished, a tribunal with no connection
with the league of nations. The basis
of all the opposition in this country to
the court has been that the court was
a creature of the league.
1t is true that Senator Hiram John
son Of California returned not long
ago from Europe breathing fire and
birthstone against the United States
becoming involved in European affairs
and joining in the world court. But
he had said as much before he left
America. 1t is true that Senator
Moses of New Hampshire, another ir-
reconcilable, has said he believes there
is no necessity of setting up another
court when The Hague tribunal con-
tinues to exist; that the world has
gone crazy in the matter of machinery
in an age of machinery.
But in spite of these declarations it
does appear that if adherence to "a
world court-not "the" world court
is advocated by President Coolidge
and supported by such men as Senator
Borah of Idaho there can be small
reason to fear an issue among repub-
Hcans that will split the party next
year.
Senator Borah has brought with him
from the west the opinion the people
are not interested in the world court,
nor in the league of nations, at this
time. In fact, he has found that OPP
position to the United States becom-
ing a member of the league is 25 per
cent greater than it was in 1920, when
the democratic standard bearer advo-
eating the league was showed under
by an avalanche Of 100000 votes.
The helplessness of the league to deal
with the Italian-Grecian situation has
made its appeal to Americans even
less than before. The league, or the
leagues court, could not successfully
be made a political issue in the next
national campaign.
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