The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-04
PRESS ON LEAGUE COURT


 ticipate in the international court of the League of Nations came as a surprising de- nouement to the relations between the execu- tive and the late congress. There are many who perceive in the tardiness of the pro- posal desire to utilize it for political pur- poses rather than to obtain it's passage from an expiring congress that was already far past it's period of achievement. There are oth- CTS who derive much humorous satisfaction from the labored efforts of Secretary Hughes to show how participation in the court would in no way involve membership in the League of Nations or incur responsibility in con- nection with the leagues other activities.
 The New York Tribune, an enemy of the league as applied to this country, also under takes to explain how the proposal in no way involves us with the league. The Tribune views the court "as sort of annex to the sections of the League of Nations covenant which provide for the political arbitration of international differences. The court was attached very loosely to the league. Es abolished under a separate protocol, the court is open to non-member as well as member states and it's decisions are not re-
  Tribune's point of view, the court seems to have been designed especially for those who would enjoy the leagues benefits without undertaking it's responsibilities. It is very much as if one were to say that the supreme court of the United States is at tached very loosely to this government be- cause it's decisions are not reviewable by congress- However, the more open to at tack a position is, the more it needs de- lenders.
 Likewise the St. Louis Globe-D Democrat argues that the proposal is in strict har- mony with our policy and in line with what the president and the secretary of state have had in mind all along. Says this newspaper: Tt is worth much to know, formally and officially, that the administration is com mtted to membership in this great tribunal of international justice and peace, and to be assured that we are at least trying to draw out of our shell. We shall not always be bound to inactivity by the irreconcables of the senate" The New York Herald is inclined to be skeptica about the sincerity of the proposal and inquires of the presi- dent, "why did he send it and what was his object" in view of the fact that congress could not possibly pass upon the question in the few days left of the session. The Herald declares that the president was bound by no plank in the party platform and by no prediction pledge of his own to advo- cate participation in the court. Perhaps the Herald is ironical or joking when it per mts the inference that the party has been guided hitherto by either platform blanks or prediction promises.
 After rallying the president and the sec retary of state over their adroit arguments by means of which they advise getting into the court and staying out of the league, which is manifesty difficult program, for the court is part of the league" the Cleve- land Plain Dealer seriously concludes "Of course the Hughes Harding proposals are founded in sound common sense. There IS TO reason in the world why we should not assume our full share of responsibility in the naming of court before which we may be called at any time to plead or accept judgment. The only trouble is that there is an equal lack of convincing reasons why we should not take full membership in the league which stands back of the court" And that is the very situation which made it necessary for the secretary of state to summon spacious reasons to show how it is that there is logical difference between participating in the court and owing any obligation to the league. The difference is purely imaginary.
 The Philadelphia Public Ledger, which has long occupied the difficult position of favoring the Republican administration and yet supporting the idea of the League of Nations accepts the suggestion that we should belong to the court without assuming large responsibilities and says: Our en- trance is not matter of principle but of procedure. America has been committed to the principle for years and way of pro- cedure has been found by the administra- ton. We must make start somewhere" And having made start, whither shall we go but in the direction of league member ship?
 Most of the independent newspapers sup port the proposal, except that the Kansas City Star, not league advocate, believes that "before the nation commits itsei- one way or the other it would like to have more light on what the nation has in view" The New York Times with caustic sarcasm re- marks: Secretary Hughes mustered a se- ries of historical citations to show that the United States had long favored a court of international justice. He might as easily have piled up declarations by presidents and by congress-and at least one by himself going to show that this country ardently desired the formation of league of na- tions." The Times believes, however. that