Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-04

The discussion before the Foreign
Relations Committee of the Senate
concerning the amendments to the
Word Court protocol proved most in
teresting to the country because of the
participation by Elihu Root, former
Secretary of State of the United States
and author of the Root formula, which
interprets the Senate amendments.
Speaking of Mr. Root, now IN his
eighty-sixth year, ripe in experience
and in wisdom, the Chattanooga News
says: The GROWING labor of his life,
perhaps, will be bringing the United
States into the World Court. In labor
ing for peace. Elihu Root has forgotten
his old standpatism, and all the rest Of
us have forgotten it too. We find our
selves hoping that this great honor will
come to the distinguished dean of the
Americans bar" How sincere is Mr..
Roots own desire for the entry of the
United States into the World Court is
noted by the Youngstown Daily Vindi-
Gator, which states: THE World Court
may not accomplish what its friends
expect of it. Elihu Root told the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee: but, lie
added, God forbid that the United
States may be the Nation which brings
its efforts to naught!' The country
cannot help listening to the voice of ITS
leading Republican citizen" continues
this paper. Mr.. Root is one of the
great statesmen of our time"
"Mr. Root had chief part in franz.
ing the structure of the World Court"
says the Deseret News of Salt Lake City,
land at an advanced age he crossed
the ocean to help make such changes
in that structure as would give aSSur-
ance to America of the desire of other
nations tdsnake the articles conform to
the political theory and practice of this
country. Now on the eve of his eighty
sixth birthday, this venerable jurist
makes his supreme appeal to the Sem
ate committee to ratify the World
Court protocol" concludes this paper.
X
Senators of the United States, timid
souls who have hitherto feared that
American adherence to the World Court
might prejudice our national rights,
may now breathe freely, since Elihu
Root has testified that the revised pro-
tocol the President has asked the Solons
to ratify preserves unimpaired the res
ervation stipulated five years ago." says
the Houston Chronicle, as it calls at
tention to the fact that, after all, the
aged statesman who has given the best
years of his life to the cause of world
peace and cooperation, winner of the
-
Senator who would infer that Elihu Root
would knowingly sign away any of his
country's rights is afflicted with more
or less serious case of mental incompe-
tency," this journal concludes.
AS to the Root formula, designed to
meet the difficulties aroused by the sec
ond part of the fifth reservation adopt
ed by the Senate on January 81, 1926,
the Birmingham News explains: I'm
rlANs& Ia
or the Assembly of the League may con-
suit the United States in the prelimi-
nary discussion on requests for advis-
DRY opinions from the court. In such
discussion, any objection by the United
States is to be given the same standing
as an objection by a member of the
League. And after any request for an
advisory opinion is submitted to the
League, the United States Is to be asked
II she objects or If her interests are
involved. If the United States objects, |
ion is still insisted upon, the with |
drawal of the United States from the |
court is expressly anticipated. without |
any imputation of unfriendliness or un-
to cooperate"
The jackson Citizen Patriot says the |
effect of this agreement, according to |
Mr.. Roots recent testimony, would be to |
give the United States an absolute veto |
power over advisory opinions affecting |
this country. The former Secretary OF |
State declared his belief that no circum-
stance would arise under which the |
World Court might rendnr an advisory
opinion affecting the United States |
the consent of this Natbn."
The Chicago DRily News taxa the
position that "eHtry by the United