Evening star., 1925-12-12
LENR0OT F0RESEES
j. S. COURT ENTRY
Debates Issue With barrow.
Latter Holds Tribunal
ValueIeSS.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PRINCETON, n. J., December IL
United States Senator Irvine l.
Ienroot of Wisconsin urged the en-
trance of the United States into the
Permanent Court of International
Justice in q debate last night with
Clarence Darrow, Chicago lawyer,
who opposed the court on the grounds
that it was not worth the fuss be
ing made about it.
Mr.. Darrow declared that this
World Court. which means nothing,
ts gotten up to take the place of the
League of Nations. Senator Lenroot,
however, maintained that the court
was absolutely independent of the
named the judges and paid their
salaries
The debate. held in connection with
the opening of the National Collegiate
World Conference, was attended by
representatives OF 245 educational in
stitutions. Mr.. Darrow substituted
for Senator Brookhart of Iowa, who
could not keep his engagement be
cause of an appointment
Doubts Issue Worth While.
rs there any reason to make all
this fuss about the World Court?'
Mr.. Darrow asked. we could pick
our arbltrators from the same court.
even II We We're not paying their
salaries. l can't take this question
as seriously as | wish ! might
He belittled the powers of the court
10 take any worthwhile action. The
League of Nations. if it did work
he said, might end war. but il would
crush freedom and liberty and in
dividuality from the heart OF man"
This World Court, | insist, is no
good" he said. IF ii is anything
1t is a step toward a League of Ma
ions, and short step at that. and
[ think the intelligence and the self
respect Of the American citizen ought
TO cause him to ponder well before he
could give up what he has for the
sake of ending war.
Il believe in ending wars. | would
ike to end wars. l would like to make
everybody sober, but not by the Vol
stead act. 1t would like TO make them
sober by teaching them to control
themselves. L would like TO end wars
by good fellowship and good feeling
between the nations. And l believe
that 1t can never be done in any other
way"
LenroOt Opens Debate.
Senator Lenroot. who spoke first
said the court by it's refusal to render
an opinion in a dispute between Rus
sia. and Pola and. requested by the coun-
Gil or the league, had shown conciu-
SlVely Its independence of the league.
The refusal, he said, was based on
the unwillingneSS of Russia Il non
member of the league. to consent to
the jurisdiction of the World Court
There is a mistaken idea preva-
lent. he said, that the court is de-
pendent, not on the statute. but on the
covenant of the League of Nations, for
part of it's jurisdiction. The fact is
that article So of the statute expressly
provides that the jurisdiction of the
court comprises all cases which the
parties refer to it and all matters spe.
ctally provided for in treaties and con-
ventions in force.
THE covenant Of the league is such
a treaty or convention, and as the
request for advisory opinions is a mat
Ter that Is specially provided for in
it, therefore, under article SO of the
statute, the court has jurisdiction to
render such opinions But such juris-
diction is not confined to rendering
advisory opinions to the League of
Nations.
'If the United States and Great
Britain should enter into a treaty. and
in 1t provide that either party might
request an advisory opinion from the
court as to the Interpretation of any
claims in the treaty, the court would.
without question have the same right
to render an advisory opinion in that
case as had the League of Nations
THE statute establishing the court
is complete in itself and is the con-
Stitution of the court. 1t can no more
exercise powers than our Congress can
exercise powers not conferred upon it
by the Constitution"