Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-21
ROOT MAKES PLEA
FOR WORLD COURT
Elderly Statesman Spends
Three Hours Before Senator
B0rah's Committee.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Elihu Root insisted before an atten-
tive and inquisitive Senate Foreign Re-
lations Committee today that the re-
vised protocol for American adherence
to the World Court fully protects Amer
icaS interests.
Concluding explanation of the revised
protocol which he helped to draft 70
meet the Senate'S reservation, MIR. Root
pounded the table as he pleaded that
this Nation take its place In the Court
as step toward assurance Of the peace
of the world.
TestifieS ; Hours.
The s6-year -old American statesman
was before the committee for almost
| three hours.
Senator Reed, Republican, Pennsyl-
vania, who acknowledged doubt as TO
his position on the court issue, led the
| interrogators He wanted to know why.
| If the revised protocol met the Senate's
reservation, that the court should render
no advisory opinion in which the United
States claimed an interest, provision
was made for withdrawal of the United
States from the court
Mr.. Root insisted that this Govern
ment retained an absolute veto" power,
as provided by the Senates reservation.
against the court rendering an advisory
| opinion on a proposition to which It
| claimed to have an interest.
He said there were two obstacles In
| the way of acceptance by other powers
of the Senate reservation put upon
| American adherence in 1925. This res
ervation provided that the court should
not render an advisory opinion or any
| question ia which the United States
had, or claimed to have, an interest
without first obtaining the consent Of
| this Government
First" he said, "in the asking ct
advisory opinions Of the court the as
sembly and the Council OF the League
OF Nations would be obliged TO proceed
in ignorance Of the attitude of the
United States. 1t would throw doubt
and delay around all proceedings.
Second, there was ignorance on the
part Of the other powers OF the council
as to the meaning Of the term intended
In the reservation. There was igno-
rance as to the scope the United States
would give to term interests It might
mean legal interest, 1t might mean
political interest and so forth.
Cites Other Treaties.
Mr.. Root, q former Secretary of State
recited instances Of the application Of
such provisions in other treaties. He
recalled the treaty of 1882 with Russia,
which he said was terminated.
mo difficulties arise any more over
termination" he said, 80 the Senate's
reservation and its acceptance very
much relieved the difficulty in making
the agreement"
Root then took up the negotiations
for meeting the Senate's Objectionable
reservation regarding advisory opinions.
He met two years ago with other inter
national jurists TO solve the problem.
Reading the solution then worked
out, as provided in the protocol now be-
fore the Senate, Root said "it does not
in the slightest degree modify the Sen
ate'S reservation"
He said the United States was pro-
tected at all times by another Senate
reservation already accepted BY the
other powers which makes the agree
ment terminable at will"
Mr.. Root said the League of Nations
Council has nothing to do with the
| jurisdiction Of the court"
| "It has the right of asking questions
and it Is the duty of the court TO an
swer them. I can't see that the United
States should object to the League Of
Nations Council asking whatever ads
visory opinions 1t sees At, so long as
we remain in the court, so long as the
! court Is barred from rendering an opin-
ion in which we claim an interest
THE agreement for exchange II
views Is the only term on which the
SenateS reservation is acceptable. To
refuse 1t Is for the Senate TO say that
the United States cannot be frank and
sincere in its cooperation"
Want u. o. Support
Root said that TO envisage u dis
agreement that will lead to ahandonS
ment of the enterprise" was almost ina
possible.
IF there Ia O disposition On the pert
Of the nations on the other side Of the
Atlantic to refuse to recognize whAa
the United States claims Is its ewn ~
terest, it means a change Of senttmeca
over there TO hostility to the Unatsd
States.
ut is q real thing for them ever
there. They are living under o cod
slant threat of bleach OF agreements.
They do want our moral support tn
their difncult and trying task.
What Is our attitude? The material
interests Of the United States want
peace. The Council Of the League of
Nations Is striving to have It under .
much better understanding of eondi.
tons over there than IL Is possible for
US to have.
THE idealism of America has desire
that our country shall have tts part in
maintenance Of peace"