Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09

Germs free tariff zones on French soil
along the Swiss frontier. France OBJ
jects and Switzerland insists upon them
on the basis Of treaties.
France, disconnected with the pre-
liminary decision of the court, has re-
opened arguments on the case. It is
not expected, however, that the decision
will be changed.
The judges frankly call the World
Court IAN organism Of the League OF
Nations" but maintain that its deci-
sions are wholly independent Of League
influence. They cannot understand the
reluctance Of Senators Borah and john
son to join the court in giving adj
vtsory opinions to the League, for they
regard the League as q great and noble
institution, worthy of all assistance and
support.
The American attitude toward the
League has not yet been really grasped,
except In a few quarters. just the
same, American influence Is gradually
changing the League, and ultimately 1t
Is likely to change the Leagues rela-
, ton to the World Court. League men,
oers are now engaged in trying to re-
wise the League covenant so as to take
out OF 1t all permission for war and
make 1t harmonious with the Kellogg
peace pact.
y \ %A
This, however, is only the first step.
The next and more important one con-
templated is to revise Articles x and
XVI to eliminate all obligations for the
use OF armed force or other coercion
against y1olators Of the covenant and
to take away all authority from the
League Council or the Assembly to
suggest any coercion of violators. This
Is called the removal Of sanctions"
Inc American objection to sanctions
is gaining increasing approval in some
parts OF Europe, but especially in Great
Britain. 1t is reasonably practicable
that in 10 years sanctions will have
disappeared from the League covenant
either by repeal or by common consent
and notification.
Phillip Kerr and J. L. Garvin. the
most important leaders of British
thought on peace organization, advise
this writer that they expect sanctions
some day to be eliminated.
The individual American most re-
Sponsible for this growing change in
european sentiment Is 8. o. Levinson,
chicago attorney, author Of the pro-
posal for the outlawry Of war, Mr.,
Kerr told this writer that he regarded
uE. AeVnSOn as the most remarkable
inquire in the contemporary peace move
ment.
Mr.. Levinson maintains that the
League no longer considers itself en-
powered to use sanctions to enforce
decisions of the World Court. This Is
| disputed by some others. 1t is clear,
nevertheless, that the tendency Is in
the direction of MIR. Levinson'S view.
The question is whether the tendency
toward the American position In the
matter Of advisory opinions and in the
matter Of sanctions has gone sum-
GENTLY far to justify American adj
herence to the court.
Some here say. that the tendency
must 60 further before the United
States can consistently join the court.
The whole proposition Is: Can the
United States join before American
ideas have completely triumphed? Some
argue that If the United States will
hold off for some time longer, then,
in order to obtain American participa-
ton, the League and the court will be
really totally revised to suit American
views.
Copyright, 1O3o)