Evening star., 1925-04-04

For the first time in history inter-
national law will be officially codified
and accepted by an association OF ma
tions, if the work done by the Amer
lean Institute of International Law,
under the sanction and approval of
the Pan-American Union, be adopted
by the International Commission OF
Jurists at its meeting next Fall in Rio
Janeiro and ratified by the u ma
tions. That commission is made up
of two eminent specialists in interna-
tional law and practice from each of
the 81 nations of this hemisphere. 1t
was appointed in accordance with
resolutions adopted at the last years
meeting at Lima, Peru, OF the Pan
American Conference, with the view
to the codification of international
laws for America. The Pan-American
Union, which meets monthly in Wash
lngton, comprising the diplomatic rep
resentatives Of the American repub-
lies, asked the American Institute of
International Law. headed by DR.
James Brown Scott to formulate the
projects to be covered in the codinaar
tion. That work has now been ac-
complished, with the approval of the
Pan-American Union, and has Just
been published. 1t covers 80 prof.
ectS."
This is far more than a mere legal
izing." of the Monroe doctrine. That
doctrine has to do only with the bar
ring of nations Of the Eastern Hem
| isphere from further colonization or
acquisition OF territory in the West
ern Hemisphere. It has no relation
| to disputes between two American re-
publicS, which have been the most
frequent causes of International wars
in America. The Monroe doctrine,
proclaimed by a President of the
United States century ago, has
never been in need of South or Cen
trail American support to insure its
effectiveness, though it has always
stood in defense OF their rights. 1t
will now be accepted as part of the
| codffied law of this hemisphere, but
not the most vital nor the newest fea-
! ture of the American international
| laws
X x !: X
The most outstanding statements
of the American plan are it's declara-
| tion forbidding the cession of any
part of its territory to non-Ameri-
| can nation (Monroe doctrine) and
| project 81 mo nation shall here
| after, for any reason whatsoever, d.
rectly and indirectly, occupy, even
temporarily, any portion of the terri
tory of an American republic in or
der to exercise sovereignty therein
even with the consent of the said re-
public" Also project 800 "The
American Republics sol.
emnly declare as a fundamental con.
cept of Am erican international Law
that, without criticizing territoria.
acquisitions effected in the past, and
without reference to existing con-
! troversies-
"In the future territorial acQuisi.
tions obtained by means of war or un.
! der the menace of war or in the pres.
ence of an armed force. to the detri-
ment of any American republic, shall
not be lawful; and that
Consequently territorial acquisi.
tions effected in the future by thes.
means cannot be invoked as confer.
ring title; and that
."Those obtained in the future By
such means shall be considered null
in fact and in law
y x X X
DR.. Scott points to this Project 80
forbidding conquest of territory b.
means of war, as the very key to tn,
plan to take away the main incentiv,
for war. There is no purpose to at
tempt to prevent, by force, any hos
tilities between nations, but hostilt
ties which must be fruitless in ter
ritory, he believes, will not be so at
tractive to the belligerents. Will,
the proposed plan cannot affect tn,
j present Tacna-Arica dispute betweel