Evening star., 1926-03-20
State Department Denies
Conference Will Be Under
Geneva Body Auspices.
STATEMENT IS REJOlNDER
TO ADHERENCE ENEMIES
Houghton's Alleged Reports Dis
counted Here, But No Formal
Comment Is Made.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY Il. GOULD LINCOLN.
The United States stands in no
danger OF becoming involved in the
affairs Of the League of Nations be-
cause Of the proposed convocation OF
representatives of the members Of the
World Court September l Nm Geneva
to pass upon the American reserva-
tions, upon which the entry Of this
country into the World Court is con.
ditioned, 1t was said at the State De
partment today.
State Department was interpreted as
rejoinder to criticisms by opponents
Of American adherence to the World
Court that the action of the council
Of the League Of Nations calling such
conference for September 1 and
asking the United States to send a
representative was ''only what was to
be expected" and a first step into the
affairs Of the league.
Will BE Court Parley.
The proposed session will be a con
ference of members of the World
Court as such. and not a league con
ference. 1t was pointed out.
Furthermore. IL the members Of the
World Court desire to act upon and
accept the reservations Of the United
States jointly there is no disposition
on the part Of this Government to Oh
ject.
Whether the United States will send
a representative to attend the confer
enoe Of the World Court members In
September will depend upon the char
acter Of the invitation. it was indi'
Gated at the department. There Is no
authority. 1t was explained, to send an
American representative with power
to amend, modify or interpret the
reservations adopted by the Senate.
Denial was made at the State De-
partment that the United States Gov.
ernment had been sounded out on
the proposal for the World Court con-
ference before tt was made by Sir
Austen Chamberlain at a meeting of
the league council on Thursday. and
adopted by the council.
Silent on Houghton Case.
The State Department today re.
Trained from commenting upon the re-
ports from Europe that the publica.
ton abroad Of statements alleged to
have been made by Ambassador
Houghton and Minister Gibson to the
President and Secretary Kellogg had
created a sensation in foreign CAPT
tails. 1t was declared. however, that
when a policy Of the department was
to be announced. the announcement
would come from Secretary Kellogg
and not from Ambassador Houghton.
The State Department does not
understand, 1t was said today, that
~. 80 AynN tntS
power or jurisdiction to pass upon
reservations relating to the World
Court or that it has attempted to do
so. On the contrary, the information
Of the State Department Is to the
effect that all that has been done is
that the council of the League of
Nations has suggested that the ma.
tions adhering to the World Court
shall each select representatives to
meet at Geneva on September / to
discuss these reservations; that this
will not be action by the league. but
a conference among representatives
Of the nations which under the reso.
luton must accept them in writing
before American adherence becomes
effective.
If these nations desire to take this
course there could be no possible OBJ
lection to their doing 50, it was said
at the department, as 1t is imma.
terial to the United States whether
each nation accepts separately upon
its own judgment with reference to
these reservations or acts after con.
sultation with the others.
The State Department. it was made
clear, has no authority to enter into
any kind Of an agreement, either as
to the modification or any interpreta-
ton Of the reservations or any
amendment of the statute of the
World Court beyond what Is required
by the American reservations them
selves.
Carried Out Senate Wishes.
Reservations and in relation
to the election of judges Of the court
and advisory opinions given by the
court, If accepted by the other coun.
tries signatory to the statute, will
ipsO factO constitute an amendment
to the statute to that extent.
The only function the League OF
Nations will have to perform In con.
nection with this matter. 1t was de-
clared, is that when the United
State has become a party to the
court the council and the assembly
will provide a procedure by which
the United States shall have equal
participation with the other nations
in the election Of judges. But this
action would come only after the
other 48 States which are members
Of the court had accepted the Amer
lean reservations and the United
States had attached its signature to
the protocol establishing the court.
The State Department does not see
that the action by the council of the
league could affect the United States
in any way. and the only thing that
has been done Is that the initiative
has been taken to suggest a con-
ference among all the nations, which
must accept the American reserva.
tions before American adherence be-
comes effective.
The department has followed the
course outlined by the Senate, it was
said, and has sent the reservations
to the individual nations, simply
notifying the secretariat of the league
which is the custodian Of the original
protocol.
Count Thrown From Horse.
ROME, March 20 R.-Count Carlo
Calvi di Bergolo, husband of Princess
Yolanda, eldest daughter of the