Evening star., 1926-04-24
PROCRESS|SMADE
IN LAW REVISION
International . Codifiers Sub
nit Reports-Dinner Ends
Session Tonight.

Having delVed into deep study or
progress being made In codification OF
international law, its effect upon the
possibility of permanent world peace,
and the many International difficulties
arising from widely different political
precepts held to by nations, the
twentieth annual meeting of the
American Society of international
Law will be brought to a close tonight
with banquet at the Willard Hotel.
Charles Evans Hughes, president of
the society, will be toastmaster, and
honor guests and speakers will be
Vice President Dawes, Baron Ago
Nathan, German Ambassador: DR.. j.
Narela, Minister from Uruguay, and
Prof. Archibald c. Coolidge of Harvard
University. In the gathering will be
many other distinguished jursts and
statesmen who have given years of
study to the problem of international
relations. Two hundred and fifty mem
bers are expected at the banquet.
Received at White House.
The society was received by Presi-
dent Coolidge at the White House late
yesterday.
Progress in codifiCation Of an inter
national system of law or agreements
is being made. though slowly, George
w. WickerSham of New York City,
former Attorney General. declared
last night. reporting on progress made
under auspices Of the League of Ma
tions. a similar report for the Pan
American Union, which is fostering a
code for the Americas, was delivered
by DIR Antonio s. lie Bustamante, pro
feSSor of international law at the Uni
versity of Havana, Cuba.
oh lao lnts v,1iS. q.
henSion as to the conditions in which
the task of bringing the nations to n
spirit of reaSonableness in dealing
with conflicts of interest shall be ac-
complshed, said MIR. WickerSham.
at must be with the consent of ma
tions--a consent to be obtained from
governments faced with political eNi-
Sencies.
The machinery best adapted for
this purpose is that of the interna-
tional conference-confer of all
civilized nations, who, through their
governments, recognize the obllSa-
tions of international law.
League Committee Named.
No definite code. or "A part of ono,
has yet been adopted by the League
of Nations, Mr.. Wickersham said A
committee of experts has been ap-
pointed by the league to draft pro
posals, which later the nations of
the world will be asked to approve.
The United States, unotticially, is aid
ing in this draft, at the request OF
the committee of experts which has
sought the suggestions of leading
international lawyers. whether their
governments are members of the
league or not.
The League of Nations committee
of experts is studying the following
questions. with a view to codifying
them, Mr.. Wickersham reported: Ma
tionality. territorial waters, diplo-
matte privileges and immunities. re
sponsibility of states in respect of in
Jury caused in their territory TO the
person or property of foreigners, pro
cedure of international conferences
and procedure for the conclusion and
drafting of treaties, piracy, exploita.
ton of the products of the sea.
Cable Act Assailed.
The question of nationality is now
a highly complicated one. creating
many extremely delicate internal tional
problems, Mr.. Wickersham and speak
ers at yesterday afternoons round
table sessions declared.
Vigorously assailing the Gable act
of 1922, by which foreign women
marrying American men We're denied
American citizenship, though they
lost their own, Mr.. Wickersham as
serted this law is a menace to the
permanency of the institution of the
family.
1T does seem quite extraordinary,
he said, that one of the first products
of the newly conferred franchise of
women should have been the enact
ment of such Il measure as this. con
tributing. as it does, powerfully
towards the destruction of that unity
of the marriage relation which for
centuries has been considered the
foundation stone of the state.
Marriage exists, not merely as 8