Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-14
CONFEDERATE BOND
ISSUE ST|RS ROW
OVER WORLD COURT
Question of Possible Pressing
of Civil War Claims Brings
Sharp Debate.
TAX MEASURE LIKELY
TO GET RIGHT OF WAY
Urgency of Revenue Bill Is Ex-
pected to Place 1t First
Next Week.
RY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

The FEASIBILITY that a foreign nation
nicht seek 20 bring before the Worlc
court claims of its citizens who hold
bonds issued 10y the Confederate
States during and after the Civil Wan
waS advanced as reason for the
United States not joining the World
Court during the debate in the Sen
Al. today.
The matter was precipitated by Sen
, atnr Dill of Washington, Democrat
and an opponent of the court. He haG
read to the Senate an editorial from
The Boston Post. which held that the
claims of the Confederate bond holders
abroad might be brought before the
World Court. These bonds amount tC
some $500, 900. 900
Senator Robinson of Arkansa s
democratic leader of the Senate, de
clHred that:
Such attempts TO frighten advO
Gates of the World Court are Withou
Justification or foundation. Nithou
the consent of the United States M
question involving us can he brough
before the court, and no question cal
be submitted except through Il treaty
negotiated by this Government, either
general or special and such a treat,
has to be ratified by a two-thirds vote
OF the Senate"
Charges Issue Beciouded.
Senator Robinson insisted that
great effort is being made to beClout
the court issue now before the Senate
Senator Reed of Missouri said tha
he believed he could clearly demon
strate how such claims could b'
brought before the World Court. HI
added that if any misleading arSu
mentS are being made in regard Il
the World Court they are that w
retain full right of submitting or no
submitting cases TO the court.
Senat tor Reed declared that the
council and assembly of the League
of Nations, If they see fit, can change
the jurisdiction of the court. and
added: We are not members of the
: lea que"
Senator Overman of North Caro-
lima. one of the Southern States whose
bonds are held TO some extent by
foreigners, said that he had Offered
a resolution covering this matter. He
added that he understood other res
ervations by Senator Walsh of Mon
tana and Senator Pepper of Pennsyl
vania would be submitted Coverin:
il also. Unless they are adopted, IN
said. he would insist upon his Owl
resolution. He announced his sup
port of the World Court.
Takes Fling at Overman.
If the Senator from North Caro-
lima is unwilling to submit to tht
World Court a question of whether
bonds issued by his State should b'
paid. what would he submit to th'
COURT" asked Senator Reed of Mis-
la t,~t % iSh
that it cannot decide on the bonds
of North Carolina, what question cal
be put up to the court" \ vote
for such reservation, Senator Reed
said. would be a vote of lack of con
tidence in the court.
Senator Dill of Washington SAID
that he had not submitted the edito
rial from the Boston Post with the
thought of intimidating anybody. but
rather for information. The state
ment made by the Senator from
Arkansas indicates to me he is rather
nervous about the subject" said Sen
atur Dill.
Il am one of a small body, A mi
nority in the Senate, opposed to
American adherence to the World
Court. But an even smaller band oi
4 Senators was opposed to the League
of Nations when that fight began.
~
Court had played no part in the elec
tions of 1924 With regard to the state
ment of Senator Robinson that the
United States could not be taken be
fore the World Court except by Its
consent, Senator Dill said that the
Jurisdiction of the court might be
changed later so that we could be
forced to appear
IF we are going into the court, we
should go into the league said Sena
tor Dill. Il am not in favor of going
into the league"
Senator Blease of South Carolina, in
a brief statement, announced his op
position to the World Court.
Tax Gets Right of Way.
With the tax reduction bill looming
UP as the probable occupant of the
senatorial stage next week, anti
aWorId Court Senators are breathing
more freely. They believe that a vote
on the court proposal has been rele
gated to the somewhat dim future
through new conditions that have
arisen.
Senator Lenroot of Wisconsin, ir
charge of the World Court protocol
and other supporters of the court pla n
on the other hand. were prepared tt
insist upon the formal reading of the
protocol, the presentation of the pro
posed reservations and a vote on some
of the reservations, if the opposition
Senators were not ready TO go or
with the debate today.
1t is now generally conceded tha
the tax bill will hold sway in the
Senate soon and that a vote on the
court proposal cannot be obtained
until after disposal of that measure
The real test as to whether the court
can be brcIght to vote at com
paratively early date will come soor
after the passage of the tax bill. Nc
one is disposed to hold up action or
the tax bill, in which the country is
strongly interested. 1t must become
law by March l, or soon thereafter
in order to make it possible for The
people to file their income tax returns
by March 10 under the provisions Of
the new law.
But other legislation which the
Senate will tackle does not hold the
same urge for immediate action. II
is a long" session of Congress. The
fiscal year does not close until June