Evening star., 1924-01-07

ment of international law
effort are nearly so. Isolation Of
any kind Is Increasingly tmpos-
sible, and world organization, AL
ready centralized, Is no more IKE.
ly to return to disconnected enoTI
than the United States Is likeiy
to revert to the Calhoun theory
OF states rights and secession.
Value OF Court.
Tho operation of the league has
therefore. evolved a council WIDE
ly different from the body imae-
ined by the makers OF the cove
rant. 1t can employ no force but
that of persuasion and moral IN
1uence. Its only actual powers
are to confer and advise, TO
create commissions. TO exelC,se
inquisitive, conciliative ana aTol.
trail functions and TO help elect,
iudees Of the Permanent Court.
In other words. the force or
c,rcurn stances IN gradually NOV
ing the league into positioh upon
the foundations 30 we'll laid by
the worlds leaders between 1893
o and 1907 in the great interna-
t'onaI courcils of that perioo.
the congresses of the !nterna-
tional labor organizations are
SUCCESSORS to The Hague confer
The Permanent Court has at
least begun to realize the high-
est hope and purpose or tho Sec
end league conference.
The secretariat and the labor
Office have become continuation
ud M
tive work OF the organ zed world.
such as The Hague conference
lacked resources to create but
would have retoiced to soc.
The council. resolving loose and
r large theories into clean-cut and
modest practice, has been grad
uaIly reconciling tho league. as an
OF intern ational interdependence,
temporarily obscured since 1914
by the shadows of the great war.
Service Of the League.
No ono can deny that the or
gans Of the league have brought
to the service Of the forces be-
hind those ideals an efficiency.
scope and variety OF appeal that
in 1914 would have seemed In
credible.
1t is common knowledge that
e
In the United States have for a
long time, without distinction OF
party. been favorable to interna-
tional conferences for the COM
mon welfare, and to the estab-
lishment OF conciliative. arbitral
and judicial means for settling
international disputes
There is no reason to believe
that the judgment and policy
~
same lines the league is now
plainly crystailizing. as has been
shown, and at tho touch OF the
expedited:
ganized world. from which the
United States cannot be econoin-
ically. and spiritually separated.
belt the power Of public p'nion
to the new machinery devised
for the pacific settlement OF con-
troversies between nations and
standing always ready for use.
I. The United States accepts
the league Of nations as an In
strument- OF mutual counsel. but
interfere with political questions
Of policy or internal adminiStra-
tion Of any foreign state.
The United States government
should be authorized to propose
cooperation with the league and
participation In the work Of its
assembly and council under the
tions:
In uniting Its efforts with those
of other states for the preserva.
tton of peace and tho promotion OF
the common welfare, the United
states does not abandon its tradi-
tionai attitude concerning Ameri-
can independence of the old world
and does not consent to submit its
long-establtshed policy concerning
questions regarded by II as purely
American to the recommendation
or decision OF other powers.
II. The United States will as
sumo no obligations under article
x, In its present form In the COW
enant. unless In any particular
case Congress has authorised such
action.
The United States win assume
no obligations under article XVI
in Its present form In the covenant
or in it's amended form as now
proposed. unless in any particular
case Congress has authorised such
action.
The United. States proposes tina,
Articles x and XVI be either
oTopPCo dASOBStncI OF 30 6IuonQ6O
and changed as to eliminate any
suggestion OF, general agreemen,
to use coercion for obtksninG con.
formity to the pledges 6f the GOV.
enant
Action by Congress.
III Tho United States will &c.
cept no responsibility and assume
no obligations In connection with
any duties imposed upon thu
league by the peace treatieA un.
less in any particular case Con.
gress has authorised such action
that article OF the covenant bs
construed and applied. or, II necss.
sary, redrafted, SO that admission
to the league shall be assured BY
any self-governing state tha'
wishes to join and that receive,
the favorable vote of two-thirdi
OF the assembly
". AZ . further condition o,
its participation in the work ans
counsels OF the league, the United
States asks that the assembly and
council consent--or obtain author.
ity-to begin collaboration for thu
nationAlsslaw. employing, for thil
purpose. the aid OF q commission
OF juristA This commission woult
be directed to formulate anew ex'
listing rules Of the law Of nations
to- reconcile divergent opinions. t
consider points hitherto inadequate.
ly provided for but vital to thu
maintenance of international jus
tice, and In general to define thu
social rights and duties Of states
The recommendations OF the com