The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-26
OUTLINING WAR.

No person is better qualified to speak
of the status of the League of Nations
than Professor James T. Shotwell, of
Columbia University. Professor Shot
we'll headed the group of Americans
who submitted the American draft of
the protocol outlawing war, known Of
ficially as the Protocol for the Pacific
Settlement of International Disputes.
Recently, the professor made public his
views on the subject at meeting of
the Foreign Policy Association in New
York City. The protocol, he said, as
reported by the New York Times, de-
clares war of aggression an lnterna-
tional crime. It outlaws the nation
which starts such war and stlpulates
that such a nation shall bear the costs.
1t offers peaceful methods of settlement
for every international dispute. 1t prom
Uses to every nation which will use only
peaceful methods of settling its disputes
with other nations united protection and
security from danger of war. 1t creates
agencies and methods, judicial and arbi-
trail, by which to secure justice and pro-
mote friendly solutions for all Difficult
ties. 1t provides for a World Confer
ence for the Reduction of Armaments.
In telling how the protocol is designed
to work, Professor Shotwell said that
an aggressive nation is defined by the
protocol as "a state refusing to accept
summons or to abide by the decisions of
the court or arbitration tribunal, or to
abide by the unanimous decision of the
council"
The protocol makes that nation the
aggressor which refuces the alternative
for war. Defense is declared legitimate.
but not on the isolated judgment of a
single state, party to the controversy.
1t is legitimate only when the opponent
confesses itself to be an international
criminal by refusing to accept the
methods for the settlement of lnterna-
tional disputes provided by the protocol.
In such a case, not only is the defense
of individual states legitimate, but the
cooperative defense of all is provided
for as a means of enforcement of the
peace of Sanction"
The protocol insists upon the oblga-
ton of the members OF the League OF
Nations to come to the assistance of the
nation that is attacked. The councils
powers are limited to suggesting how
themselves decide how much and in what
WAYS they shall assist, with due regard
to differences in geographical position
and peculiar situation" Action to pre-
serve the peace may be either economic
or military The employment of mill
tary sanctions is strictly limited. 1t is
permitted only in resisting declared
aggressor. The protocol leaves just one
danger of foreign entanglements, and
that is war itself. Against this it builds
up every possible safeguard.
Professor Shotwell said the protocol
makes a revolutionary change in the
system of international affairs, as it
becomes a substitute for the old sys-
TEN of the balance of power. 1t will
make separate alliances between nations
subject to compulsory arbitration and
publicity and open to all nations that
desire to join.
"The most intricate part of the pro-
tocol," the professor continued, cat
tempts to offer for every conceivable
subject of dispute the appropriate
tribunal or machinery Of Cancellation.
Dealing las it does) with the procedure
which is to be the substitute for war,
the protocol does not interfere in the
subject matter Of disputes. 1t does not
deal with the merits of political contro-
versies. 1t simply says that contro-