Evening star., 1923-03-05
PRESIDENT STILL
FOR WORLD COURT
Reaffirms Hope for U. S.
Membership in Letter to
Ohio Official.
NO RIGHTS SURRENDERED
Emphasizes Point That Nation Has
Much to Gain and Moth
:: ing to Lose.
NO RIGHTS SURRENDERED

President Harding. in a letter to
Lieut.. Gov. Bloom Of Ohio. made pub
lie today, reaffirmed his position
favoring participation by the United
States in the International Court OF
Justice.
The letter was in acknowledgment
Of a state senate resolution, which
extended to the President Its COM
mendation for the courage and wis
dom he has shown and its best wishes
for the favorable nation OF his
statesmanlike proposal"
Although restating his belief that
the United States should participate
in the court, Mr.. Harding explained,
nothing could be farther from the
purpose of the administration than to
suggest that our country surrender
any of it's control over its own run
damental rights and deStinies.
The President in his letter said, In
part:
Given Much Thought.
IT feel that the adhesion of our
country to the program and purposes
Of the Court of International Justice
would represent a long and important
step toward the assumption of those
proper and entirely safe relationships
to international affairs which should
be borne by such a country rs our
own. The recommendation that the
United States adhere to the protocol
under which this court has been Gre
ated was not put forward without the
most thorough and matured delibera-
tion. Those who at this time are In
trusted with the direction of the In
ternational relations OF our country
are firmly convinced that this move
not only would represent the wise
policy for our own people. but would
be an emphatic testimony of our pur-
pose to encourage every feasible
project for establishing the rule of
In this world. The whole story of
civilization has been the story of the
efforts to substitute the domination
Of justice under law for armed might.
Il may say frankly that 1t is in
conceivable to me that the American
people. who have so long been devot-
ed to this ideal should refuse their
adherence now to such program as
is represented by this tribunal;
purpose of the administration than
to suggest that our country surrender
any Of its control over its own fun
damental rights and destinies. But
we may be sure that differences will
Piles. precisely as they have always
arisen between individuals: and Just
as courts of justice and equity have
been set up to determine issues as
between individuals, so 1t ID proper
and logical that provision should be
made for a like adjudication Of those
differences between nations and peo-
Piles which may properly be COM
mitted to such determination.
Called Great Advance.
81 look upon the establishment OF
the court of international justice,
with the Jurisdiction that has been
given to it, as one OF the greatest
advances which world society has
made toward conditions In which at
last the rule of law may be substi-
tuted for the rule of force. 1t looks
to the settlement of issues before
they become dangerously acute; 1t
causes OF conflict and war. Feeling
thus 1 cannot but believe that our
own country should be among the
most devoted adherents of such a
program.
I'm view of these sentiments, you
will not doubt the sincerity with
which 1 assure you how greatly ap..
which the Senate resolution has
brought to me. Nor will you. trust.
omit to recognize the satisfaction
with which l acknowledge the fact
that the first testimonial which has
come to me from any legislative body
in the nation comes from my own
state of Ohio