Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-19
Swanson at Geneva
Virginia Senator in Position to
Explain Court Reservations.
By WilLiom RUFUS Scott

Senator Claude A. Swanson OF Vir-
ginia, sponsor of the reservations to
the resolution of American adherence
to the World Court. is in Geneva
Switzerland, and will be there on Sep
TENDER l when the members OF the
League Of Nations meet to pass judg
ment upon the question OF admitting
the United States to the court on the
terms specified.
The significance of the coincidence
of Senator Swansons visit and the
League meeting becomes clear when
it is remembered that the council OF
the League invited the United States
last Winter to send a representative
to Geneva in September to explain
just what the reservations mean.
At that time President Coolidge de
clared that the invitation would not
be accepted, taking the ground that
the reservations speak for themselves
nor did he care to undertake to say
what the Senate had in mind. How
ever, Senator Swanson, whose name
the reservations bear, will be on hand
and, presumably, will be able to
answer questions in Geneva.
X \ 4
1t is not to be inferred that Senator
Swanson's visit there is in any degree
official. President Coolidge has not
changed his position that no expla
nation would be furnished by the Gov
eminent, nor has the Senate itself
authorized an explanation. Yet 1t
would not be possible to select any
one more qualified to explain the res
ervations than Senator Swanson un-
less it were Senator LenroOt, joint
leader in the Senate with MIR. Swan
son in the fight for adoption of the
resolution of adherence.
The visit of Senator Swanson is
his own affair and made without Off
cial appointment or drain upon
Treasury funds. even If, from the
viewpoint of the members of the
League, he will be as qualified to
analvZe the reservations as II he had
all the paraphernalia and pomp of a
minister plenipptentiary. He will not
so far as available Information here
goes, attend the meetings of the
League members on the reservations,
since he is not an official representa-
tive, and any counsel he may give
seems likely to be in private con-
sultative capacity as a United States
Senator happening to be on the spot,
equipped with complete information
X X X
On leaving the United States early
this month Senator Swanson eX-
| pressed conviction that the League
members would accept the reserVa-
| lions ultimately. He took occasion
| to reply to one of the principal objec-
lions to the reservations, stated by NJ.
Politis, Greek minister to Paris, in a
Dol fv
Williamstown, Mass, to the effect that
found the stumbling block. This
! reservation declares that the council
of the League shall not ask for any
advisory opinion from the World
| Court in which the United States has
or claims, an interest, without the
consent of the United States.
| Senator Swanson answered that this
| reservation does not give the United
! States unique veto power over the
councils function in seeking advisory
opinions, because such veto power al
ready is possessed by the ten mem
bers represented on the council. either
in permanent or temperament seats
| The League covenant provides thai
requests by the council for advisory
opinions shall be by unanimous vote
in the council hence, Great Britain
! France, Italy and Japan as the per
manent members, and any one of the
six non-permane members, co,flt
block a move for an advisory opinio}
by a single negative vote. ReservA
| ton No. 5, Senator Swanson
said, merely puts the United States
on an equality with these nations II
stipulating that the United States
must give it's consent to any request
for an opinion in which it is interest &c
or claims an interest.
X X
! What, therefore, the League mem
bers on September ] will have to de
eide, apparently, is whether to admi
the United States to the World Cour
with privileges equal to the member.
of the council Of the League A!
there are 81 members of tn,
League Brazil having sent in hel
resignation, reducing the number
from 55) and only 10 members on thu
council as now constituted. Reserva
| ton No. ) will in fact give the United
States a. privilege which some d
League members not on the council
will not have if all League member.
were members of the World Court
Forty-eight nations are now member:
of the World Court, or fewer thar
! belong to the League.
1t Is recognized. however. that the
United States as first class powe
could not be asked to accept less priv
leges then the other first-class power
belonging to the court. and SO an in
teresting discussion is anticipated a
Geneva. with result not practicable
at this time.
The meeting will assemble with tn,
knowledge Of the fact that Presiden
Coolidge has not modified his stans
| In favor Of American adherence Il
the court. AS late as August 3, on
the occasion Of the beginning of hi
fourth year In the presidency, Mr.
Coolidge, in reviewing his three year
In office, pointed to the resolution I,
JOIN the World Court as one of tn
outstanding achievements of his re
gime. The irritability in Europe owe
the war debt question seemingly ha,
not shaken President Coolidee's faitI
in the principle Of arbitration and ad
judication of international dispute.
His stand is believed to coincide wit
the view of other advocates Of tn
World Court. namely. that emotiona
factors in International affairs woul
not unduly sway the World Court
any more than emotion sways ns
tional courts. and that just as Judge
are named here irrespective of thei
personal or political opinions. and ar
expected to and do give impartial d,
cisions, so would the judges of tn
World Court function
The views of Secretary kellogg;
whose conduct Of the Department {
State has this week had the a,
prevail of President Coolidge. al
similar to the Presidents on tn
World Court. from all apparent evt
dence. The question of admittin
the United States. consequently, ca
be approached by the league men
bers without any altered officis
status on the part Of the Unite
States, however public opinion