Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-05
BRITISH ANTARCTIC
CLAIMS DISPUTED
Washington Geographer De.
cIares U. S. Policy Insists
on Settlement.
ny the Associated Press.

Antarctic, particularly in the Falkland
Islands. are challengeable on the basis
of right of discovery, DR.. Laura H. Mar
tin. geologist and geographer of Wash
ington, D. c., told members of the In
stitute of Politics today.
In an address before the conference
on Problems of Sovereignty in the Arc
tic and Antarctic" DR.. Martin said
Great Britain asserted dominion over
several polar areas extending beyond
parts discovered by Engiishmen.
Byrd Flights ReOpens Question.
The recent flights of Rear Admiral
Richard E. Byrd in the Antarctic nave
again brought to the fore the question
of whether the United States might
claim land in the Antarctic on the
basis of discovery, DR.. Martin stated
The United States has SO far never
claimed land in the Antarctlc, she
nointed out. nor acknowledged Great
Britain's claims to the region used 1or
Admiral Byrd's base and his flights.
DIR. Jesse S. Reeves of the University
of Michigan, United States delegate on
the Pan-American Commission Tor the
Codification of the international Law,
at Rio de Janeiro in 1927, told the con-
ference that the United States. as op-
posed TO many other nations, has never
adopted a policy of basing claims to
territory simply upon discovery.
Policy Insists on Settlement.
"Cur policy, as stated by Secretary
Charles Evans Hughes in 1924 ne SAID,
Gis that the discovery of lands unknown
20 civilization, even when coupled with
a formal taking of possession. does not
support a valid claim on sovereignty I'M
less the discovery is followed by an &C
tual settlement of the discovered coun-
try. This is correct statement OF in
ternational law, and the policy OF the
United States is in accordance with IL.
The question of sovereignty becomes
INCREASINGLY difficult in the Polar re-
rsons. DR.. Reeves pointed out. because
Of the presence of ice barriers ana
because both Polar areas involve the
question of the open. sea, no country
having successfully maintained title 10
anything but land territory.
"As to the statement made that the
United States has a right TO the sector
from the center of Boring Strait to the
Pole on one side and from projection
Of the 141st degree of longitude on the
north shore of Alaska to the Pole, there
10 no official foundation.
''There is no basis of international
law for the United States acknowledging
the doctrine of Polar sectors put fortn
by Great Britain, Soviet Russia ana
Canada. involving as they DO. claims
20 exclusive Jurisdiction over well recog-
nized areas of the open sea-
Canadian Claims Set Forth.
Canada will watch with q Jealous
eve" anything resembling a design on
the part of foreign power to estanilsn
itself within the zone lying between her
ynainland and the North Pole. T. Z:
rorbett dean of the Law School OF
McGill University, said today oeIore
the Institute of Politics.
Dean Corbett, who addressed the con-
ference on problems OF sovereignty IN
the Arctic and Antarctic, stated mat
Canada claims all discovered lano lylIs
between her mainland ana the NORTH
Pole and will probably assert claim 10
any land that may subsequently be ais
covered there.
THE basis of the claim to existing
lads is, generally speaking, he SAID,
British discovery, and such occupation
IS the particularly difficult conditions Oh
the area permit.
where occupation is not yet possible
the Canadian claim is justifled by prIn-
eible strategic Importance" ne SAID:
sThese principles have never hardened
into rules of international law, but
they have been urged from time TO Tune
as moral and political, If not legal,
grounds for the appropriation OF unat-
tached lands.
Aerial Highway FOreseen.
cat the present time, the main in
terest in the Arctic is in its position as
the possible future highway of inter-
hemisphere air traffic. The shortest
Nay between Great Britain and the
Western part of Canada is across these
northern ATTITUDES and the same is true
for the Northwestern United States
and Northern Europe. Landing ana
refueling stations along the route Will
be a prime necessity and If such sta
tions in our northern hinterland are
to be within control of any one power
that control ought to be Canadian
Dean Corbett stated that the question
of notwithstanding the polar regions
may arise If expected development In
aerial navigation takes place, but that
the United States has hitherto dis
tlaved slight enthusiasm for such a
project land without her it would be
foolish to think of any such regime In
polar regions"
Chinese Communism Discussed.
Yuen-Lilang, judge of the Shanghai
Provincial Court, speaking before the
round table on the far eastern SITUATION,
said:
The recent Renaissance of commu-
nistic activities in Central China, In
stead of being menace 10 the estap-
iished institutions in Chinese society,
will most probably serve TO lead diner
ent factions in the Nationalist party 10
iron out their differences as far as thelr
political platforms and policies are con-
cerned, and once more unite the party
leaders in carrying out the Nationalist
ha of WhiHh has 6peE
DELAYED by discussions within the party
IT am not at all surprised If negotia-
Hons are already proceeding between tne
leaders of the government ana OF the
opposition for the conyocatton OF q gen
eral congress of Nationalist to discuss
common aims and interests and TO seek
unification by means Of coalition:
Defends United States In Haiti.
American policy in Haiti was de-
Tended in an address by ". w. Cum
berland, former general receiver OF
Haiti. delivered before the round table
on "our Latin American relations.
Cumberland criticized the report OF
the Forbes Commission sent to Haiti
last Winter by President Hoover.
He said many errors OF TACT oc-
cured in the report, which was based
on "a casual visit of two weeks TO
Haiti, within which time 1t was impos-
sible even to obtain the reliability OF
witnesses, let alone 10 formulate any
comprehensive policy for determining
the relations between that Republic and
the United States"
Government Criticized.
Government is the only great business
whose machinery has not kept pace
with progress during the last century
the institute was told by Frank O.
Lowden. former Governor OF Illinois,
He found little TO approve in the
practice of creating commissions fol
administrative duties.