Evening star., 1926-10-02
The World Court Slip.


There is many slip 'twiXt the
Warld Court and the United States.
Although the Senate, by an over.
whelmlng vote last January, adopted
a resolution ratifying American ad-
herence to the court with reserva-
tions, the prospect of entry into that
tribunal by this country today ap-
pears remote.
The failure Of foreign nations to
take the reservations OF the Senate at
their face value has caused the hitch.
just when II seemed that the final
step might be taken which would
make the United States a full-fedged
member of the court. The reserva-
tions adopted by the Senate constitute
a maximum of concession that might
be expected from that body, as any
we'll informed diplomat might readily
have been able to inform his home
country. If this was realized in
the chancelleries of Europe, the only
Interpretation to be placed upon the
action of the Geneva delegate con-
ference of member nations of the
World Court is that these nations
were not as anxious to have the
United States become member of the
court as had been assumed in some
quarters. 1t may he that some of
these nations regarded the proposal
of the United States to enter the
court as merely an offer" on terms
that in the end the United States
would modify. Europe has been used
for centuries to trafticking about the
council table. No reflection is intend
ed against a give-and-take spirit of
compromise. But in the present case
there was no room for compromise
strange as it may appear to some of
Europe's statesmen. The Senate op-
crates in a manner vastly different
from that Of the diplomatic corps and
foreign offices.
Nor is the urge for adherence to
the World Court in this country quite
so great as it was six months ago.
Unfortunately, the press Of this coun-
try has been filled with reports Of the
slurs put upon the United States
abroad because Of the debt settlements
with Europe. In a number of primary
elections Senate supporters of adher-
ence to the court have been defeated
and. rightly or wrongly, these defeats
have been interpreted by court oppo-
nents as rejection of the court by
the voters.
If the court is again thrown before
the Senate for it's consideration. with
proposals for concessions regarding
the fifth reservation. which deals with
advisory opinions by the court, the
case for the court seems hopeless.
The only chance for American entry
into the court seems to lie in allow
ing the application Of this country for
court membership, with the reserva.
tions attached. to remain in it's pres
ent position until the members of the
court think better Of the matter.
When the replies Of the various ma
tions to the notes of the United States
regarding the World Court are re-
ceived at the State Department., the
administration will have to determine
whether they are to be submitted to
the Senate. 1t is not unlikely that there
will be vigorous demands from that
body for these replies. made by oppo.
nents Of the court who would hope
through this avenue to open u way
for a recall of Americas application
for membership in the tribunal. 1t is
unfortunate that the other member
nations have failed to realize the at
titude of this Government
If American adherence TO the World
Court finally fails. il will be sequel
to the failure OF this country to be-
come member of the League of Ma
tions. In many respects. the history
of the defeat of League entry will
parallel the failure with regard to the
court. When the League proposal
was first laid before the Senate, many
predictions were made that It would
be ratified. A handful of Senators de-
nounced the covenant. In the end,
reservations We're adopted that Presi.
dent Wilson would not accept. and the
resolution Of ratification failed. The
opposition to the World Court in the
Senate. led by some of the old cir
reconcilables. was equally small when
the court came up for consideration.
But they succeeded in forcing reserva-
tions which the foreign nations have
DO far not accepted.