Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-02
BY CASTOR NERYAL.
Authority on Latin American Affairs.

Y 7 Thirty-one years ago
a young American left his po-
II sition as dean of the Law
School of Los Angeles to enlist
in the 7th California In
fantry for the war with Spain. The
United States had resolved to help the
Cubans with their independence, and
with shouts of Viva Cuba Librei"
thousands of volunteers enlisted in the
American army to fight for Cuban lib
erty.
Today. after these three decades and
more. that same American. James
Brown Scott, is here as guest OF honor
of the Cuban government, TO lay, in
the capital of that Cuba Libre" for
which he fought, the corner stone OF
an edifice which is to house the Ameri-
can Institute of International Law. a
great institution of peace and justice
for all the peoples of The Western
Hemisphere.
Sees Idea! Come True.
In conversation with DR.. Scott,
after the ceremonies of the laying of
the corner stone, he told the writer, his
voice still touched with emotion:
Few men have the great good for
tune to see crowned with success, in
their own lifetime, an ideal for which
they have struggled. / am one of that
fortunate few. More than 80 years
after I fought, gun in hand, for the
independence of this country, I come
back to it today as guest of honor of
free and sovereign republic, to take
part in ceremonies which not only are
a manifestation of the reign of fra
ternity and peace on this continent, but
alc of s,,kA .nl
prestige attained by Cuba, and of the
leadership which she already holds in
international affairs. The laying of the
corner stone of the building for the In
Stitute Of International Law in Havana
Is important not only as an evidence of
the progress made toward establishing
the ideals Of peace and justice among
the peoples who will benefit from 1t, but
also, to us who fought to help make
this free nation, as evidence of the
permanence of Cuba's international po-
Sition In making Havana the future
American Geneva by establishing here
the seat of the first institution for the
promotion of International justice in
our hemisphere. And this act gains
even greater significance from the pres
ence on this occasion of special en-
baSsies and missions from 80 nations of
the world, come to attend the inaugu-
ration OF a new presidential term for
Gen. Machado."
Where Civilization Is Fusing.
The eminent American jurist and
publicist is right. The erection in Ha-
vana of an Institute of International
Law, for all the nations of the Ameri-
cas-, will confer extraordinary political
Importance on Cuba and will tend TO
establish hn
ter of the Pan-American movement
Cuba Is peculiarly endowed for such
distinction. Placed geographically be-
tween North Central and South Amer
lea without belonging, properly speak
ing, to any of these divisions, Cuba is
the point where the currents Of idealism
Of the north and south meet, where
Latin and Saxon civilizations are fus-
ing and where, for historical as well as
economic reasons, the Saxon American
and the Latin American find them
selves in closer relationship than in any
other spot on the globe. In the center
Of the Caribbean, between Florida, the
Gulf OF Mexico. Central America and
the northern coast of South America,
Cuba is practically equidistant from
each OF dozen American republics
Being the natural or geographical CEN
ter. 1t Is logical that she should become
Free From Boundary Disputes.
Cuba has another special advantage:
hers is the only American republic with
no territorial boundaries. Being ali
island. she is the only nation free from
boundary disputes with neighborins
countries. All the other republics have
been at some time, or still are, involved
in boundary controversies which date
from Colonial times. This makes il
still more suitable to have chosen Cuba
as the seat of an institution to promote
peace and justice. When James Brown
Scott said in his address that Cuba was
the only Latin-American republic with
out frontiers, he doubtless had in mind
that this was assurance that she had
no enemies. This is sad comment on
the other republics. but none the less
true. And this one fact Is sufficient
reason for believing that in no other
American state could an institute for
er-American peace and justice have
greater assurance of success.
The decree of the Cuban government
providing for the construction of this
palace of justice states that it will be
"a contribution Of the Republic of
Cuba to that most meritorious work in
favor of inter-American culture and
concord which is being carried on by
the American Institute of International
Law. and a recognition Of the honor
done by that organization to the city
of Havana In establishing in 1t the
center of its activities"
Houses Two Organisms.
Under the provisions Of this decree,
the edifice will house two great inter
national organisms an American
Academy OF International Law and an
American International Library. The