Evening star., 1928-04-20
Friends of World Court Reply
To Senator BOrah's Statement

Friends of the World Court are far
from agreeing 10 Senator BoTah's view
that the obstacles TO American adher-
ence To the court are insuperahle. yet
discussion i'll the press of Senator Gil
lett's resolution proposing further efforts
10 bring about an agreement diScloSeS
quite general feeling that nothing Is
likely TO be accomplished at this time
unless the Senate changes its mind
and gives the President some new basis
for negotiation.
1T is by no means clear" In the
opinion of the Philadelphia Record
independent Democraici, that
through passage OF the Gillett reSolu-
ton the suspended project would De
set conStructively under way again.
That declaration would advise the Pres
ident To resume negotiations In which
he could state nothing with eertitude,
and In which his lack of authority
would be patent 10 every government
he might approach. The Senate has
refused 10 modify. or even explain. an
obstructive reservation which cannot
be recOnciled with the terms OF the
Courts constitution and its accepted
procedure. For the Senate, there
fore, to recommend further parleyS
would be neither helpful nor honest.
unless il first gave definite assurance
that IL would ratify this country's ad-
herenee TO the Court on the equitable
terms that could easily be negotiated,
Nevertheless. the Houston Chronicle
fDemucraticD believes a little diplo~
macy, little inclination to clear up
a debated point might remove all dit-
ficultieS-even on the basis Of the SEN
ate'S reservations When we look at the
work the Court Is doing, and realize
how much our adherence would mean
10 It's prestige" continues the Texas
paper. surely We should want 10 hasten
that adherence. II IL Is st all compAt-
ible with our interests"
Quoting Senator Borah'S statement
that "the World Court Is closed 10 the
United States" the New York Times
independently replies The truth Is
that this door, and every other leading
into the room of cooperation with tns
countries of the world. would open 10
the United States at touch Each
years events urge us more STRONGLY. ON
the ground of self-intereSt, II We do not
care TO put IL higher. 10 join forces WITH
ali who are working for recovery and
for peace Finance and trade, stability
and order. friendship and fair dealing
unite In the argument for a change in
our foreign policy IT no doors opening
outward existed for the United States,
they would have to be invented But
there they swing inviting us II Is
eltheF stupidity or hypocrisy to assert
that they are closed
III the World Court Il not an inSti-
tuition worthy Of American adherenee,"
declares the Worcester Telegram tin-
dependentl. "all the words which such
men rs Ellhu Root. Charles Evans
Hughes, Warren u, Harding, Herbert
Hoover and Calvin Coolidge have spoken
ia support OF the Court are meaning
less The praise of the Court in the
Republican and Democratic national
platforms ol 1924 are also meaningless.
II the Court Is something to which the
United states ought not IL adhere, but
nobody IN either party, except the IT,
reeoneilahles. says the Court Is something
which the United states should shun.
II IL simply that there Is Snag regard
ing the aenates reservation ea advisory
opinions"
The KAlamAneo oasstls tindepsnd-