San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-09
HIRAM JOHNSON
POKES FUN At
LEAGUE COURT.
Attacks Administration
Proposal as GrandilO-
quent Bunk.
SAYS COURT" IS JOKE
Even Nations That Invite
U. S. Despise Its
Puny Power.
SAYS COURT" IS JOKE

view Norh, March S.-Preslden
Harding's proposal that the Unite,
States accept membership in the per
manent court of international juStic,
was assailed here last night by Sena
tor Hiram johnson, Republican, Of
California. a leader of the Senate ir
reconciliables. as a first false step
toward membership in the League OF
Nations.
Speaking before the Bronx board OF
trade. the California senator declared
the demand for American participa-
ton in European affairs was based on
no logical foundation, but emanate,I
from befogged international intellect
uality or an Historically perfervid
imagination.
''SHll the cry continues, the propa-
ganda persists for our entry into Eu-
rope said Senator johnson. 1T
takes now one form and then a totally
different one. and has run the gamut
of possible international organizations.
Its advocates appeal in turn. with
equal fervor, TO our altruism and our
cupidity.
THE demand that America join the
League of Nations is succeeded by the
beautiful word picture of an economic
conference and the great part the
moral weight of the United States
might play in a topsy-turvy world
And now. again, our old leaguers.
wary from defeats, in dulcet tones. in
vite US to join the international court.
SonOrOus and Appealing.
,r-b;
stitutes the rule of law for that of
power, and the domination of justice
for armed might, has a sonorous and
an appealing sound.
"But what is not said and what
is not understood is that the so-called
international cour. is no court at all.
as the term court is commonly under
stood 1t is little more than what ex-
lists with our arbitration treaties. It
does not function like the ordinary
courts with which we are familiar. 1t
cannot hale before it recalcitrant cOun-
tries, nor can it, of itself, assume
jurisdiction or disputes between ma
lions. 1t is a mere arbitral tribunal
to which nations may submit disputes
if they see fit. and only those ques-
tons, which the parties themselves
agree to submit can be heard at all.
Great Britain. France. Italy and
japan have refused to submit to any
compulsory jurisdiction. reserving to
themselves to decide when and whether
any controversy in which they are in
terested shall come before the interna-'
tional tribunal.
Just GrandiIOquent Bunk"
'sThus, the much-heralded court.
which is to prevent war in the future.
is denied in its inception. by the great
nations, the right or power TO act upon
any question which might breed war.
without the consent of these nations
themselves.
at is proposed that We do exactly
as Great Britain, France, Italy and
Japan have done: decline to submit to
the jurisdiction of the court unless we
wish to submit to it. In a controversy
with one of the powerful nations of
the earth, without that nations con-
sent, even If we desire it, the interna-
tional court could not act.
''The grandiloquent statements, that
we are establishing the rule of law as
opposed to the rule of power. eliminat-
ing the causes of war. are the pardon
able phrases. the glittering generali-
tiles. with which We illumine every
reference TO our international rela-
tons.
The First False Step.
The so-called international court is
part of the League of Nations, created
by the league. Entering the court.
which some may believe 10 be of little
consequence, is the first false step.
There is no illusion about what it
means among the advocates of the
league. They understand full we'll.
and their press boasts of the fact, that
it is the entering wedge. the first move
ment, which ultimately is to lead to