Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-03
POLITICAL ISSUE
ON WORLD COURT
FORCED BY LODGE
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Meased Wire Service TO The Journal)
copyright, 1929

Teased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1921
WASHINGTON, May 1.-The
fight over American entrance into
the world court has resolved Itself
into a political muddle. The merits
of the court itself, whether it Is q
GOOD thing for the United States,
whether 1t Is of benefit to the world,
in fact all the points raised In the
addresses of President Harding and
Secretary Hughes last week, have
been swept aside.
The issue now has been clearly
defined. Senator Henry CABOT
Lodge. chairman of the senate for
eign relations committee, has stated
II in unequivocal terms--it IS the
fact that the court has vague con-
nection with the League OF Nations.
All the assurances that America
doesn't incur any obligations under
the league covenant, indeed does not
enter the League Of Nations in any
sense. is beside the argument, for
Senator lodge takes issue with the
president and Mr.. Hughes and an
nounces that If the same court with
the Same system Of selecting judges
had been created through the action
Of all the fifty-two nations acting as
Individual countries and not by the
league. the court would have re-
ceived party approval.
Senator Lodges own words on
that noint are so pertinent and de-
describe so clearly the lines OF cIeav-
age in the present controversy,
which has been until now beclouded,
that they will undoubtedly be quoted
again and again in the next few
months by the opponents OF Mr.. Har-
ding. After pointing out that he
does not object to the nominations
being made by The Hague tribunal,
as is the case under the present
scheme, Senator Lodge declares that
if it had been proposed that If these
Judges so nominated were ito be
appointed by the nations severally
and independently and not by a ma
ioritv of the council and assembly
of the league, and with long terms
and salaries, in my judgment sucn
a. court would have received prac-
tically universal approval not only
by the senate of the United States
but by the people Of the United
States"
Lodge Joins "Irreconcilables"
Here Mr.. Lodge differs with Elihu
Root, Secretary Hughes and Presi'
dent Harding. He goes over to the
"irreconcilable group" who consider
that even to engage in the assembly
and council for one minute merely
to elect judges is a recognition of
the league so far as the United
States government is concerned.
And to recognize the league for
this purpose is to concede that 1t
has some advantages for world
peace which is the exact opposite
Of the contention made by the
leagues opponents who regard it as
a means of ENHANCEMENT and as a
breeder of trouble.
Hardly less important than Mr..
Lodges break with President Har-
ding is his declaration abandoning
nant of the league was under con-
his original position when the cove
sideration in the senate. He states
that while he would have then en-
tered the League of Nations with
reservations, he would not do so
again for he believes what has hap
pened in Europe in the last three
years proves it was a good thing
that America stayed out. In answer
to this argument, of course, the
friends of the league say Europe
and the world are in their present
state Of unrest because the United
States failed to throw it's moral sup
port and power into the scales and
that conditions will grow worse in
the future unless America cooper
ates.
Mr.. Lodge takes issue with Sena-
tor George Wharton Pepper, of
Pennsylvania, Republican, who said
that the United States should en-
ter the league If the covenant were
revised. The Massachusetts senator
declares he has become convinced
that the United States shold not.
under any circumstances. become
member of the league"
Reservations May NuIlify
The viewpoint of Mr.. Lodge is
significant because it points the way
to the kind of reservations that he
or others in the senate will pro-
pose. In order to permit American
entry into the world court, the meth.
cd Of selecting judges must be re-
vised so as to enable the United
States to exercise it's judgment apart
from the league. One way to &C
conplish this is to have the vote
for judges taken by the several ma
tons Independently through diplo-
matte channels and when the desires
Of the United States are made known
to all the other powers and the votes
of the other governments are col
lected through the league. the re-
suits of the balloting can DE dis
closed.
Whether such a complicated proc
ess would be accepted by the other
nations IS doubtful for