Evening star., 1923-04-30
An American Policy.

Attempts to attribute to the sin
ister influence of International bank
crs the recommendation by President
Harding that the United States under
certain conditions enter the Per
nanent Court of International Justice
are plainly inspired by a desire to be-
cloud the question before the Ameri-
can people. Those advancing this
argument are depending upon the
short memory of the public. They are
reckoning upon complete ignoring of
the record.
In his speech delivered Friday night
III this city Secretary Hughes. in an
Swering the question, why should
there be a Permanent Court instead
uf temporary arbitral tribunals?" point
ed out that Secretary Hay instructed
,he American delegates TO the first
Hague conference in 1899 to present
81 plan for an International tribunal Of
Il permanent character. Thus nearly a
quarter of century ago this govern
ment took its stand as advocating an
international institution competent to
decide disputes between nations. This
effort was not successful completely.
While the project was not adopted, the
conference effected an improvement
IN existing practice by providing d
code of arbiJral procedure and an
eligible list of arbitrators from which
tribunals might be constituted to de
terlnine such controversies as the par
ties might agree to submit.
Al the second Hague conference an
effort was made TO find satisfactory
}nethod of selecting the judges for the
permanent court. but it did not sue
iced. and for this reason the project
failed. Nevertheless. there was hope
and the American delegates report
ID to this government that with "a
little time. a little patience and the
great work is accomplished"
Thus the record bears ample justi-
tication for Secretary Hughes state
ment that the establishment of a
Permanent Court of International Jus
ice" has continued to be a cardinal
feature of American policy.
II there was international intrigue
inspired by banking interests and
other 'malevolent" influences at work
in 1899 there was no evidence of
american suspicion. The policy of
promoting and participating in a
world tribunal to lessen the danger of
war and promote the chances of peace
was approved by this country
tics. 1t was regarded as sound Amer
lean doctrine. not republican or demo-
cratic doctrine.
Now it is proposed that the United
States shall. under certain safeguard
ing conditions, join world court
which has been made possible along
the very lines sought in 1899. and sub
seuuently by the creation. as a result
of the great war, of an international
agency which assures the selection
and maintenance of a court personnel
OF satisfactory character. What has
happened meanwhile to cause the pro-
nUsal to be asSailed as dangerous, as
un-American. as inimical to national
integrity and security, as the inspira-
ton Of malevolent forces and sinister
influences" Simply the fact that the
agency that is now used bv the other
nations. and that it is proposed the
United States shall use to maintain
this court, the development of which
has been the consistent wish Of this
government for a quarter of a CEN
tury, is itself under the ban of public
disapproval in this country.
Secretary Hughes shows so clearly
that none but a determined partisan
IAN fail to see that utilization of the
caguc of nations as a means to the
md Of IL world court for the settlement
nf disputes on d basis of international
law does not mean and does not in
volve membership in the league, or
any obligation whatever to join it now
or in the future. He shows, as the
President has shown heretofore, that
IN seeking now to participate in the
support of Permanent Court Of In
tcrnational Justice this government is
simply carrying on one Of it's tradi-
tional purposes.
Lynchers i'm Missouri used an acety-