Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-23
ST|MSON PLEADS
FOR WORLD COURT
Letter Stirring Senate Debate
Says Revised Protocol
Accepts Reservation.
BY the Associated Press.


Secretary Of State Stimson stated
today in a letter to the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee that he believes
the revised protocol for American ad-
herence to the World Court fully &C
cepts" the Senate's reservation against
advisory jurisdiction by the court.
The Secretary's declaration, read to
the committee by Chairman Borah, i'm
mediately provoked a storm Of debate
in the executive session and it was de-
cided to ask Mr.. Stimson to appear for
questioning.
Senator johnson, Republican, Cali
fornia, an opponent of the Court, de-
clared after the session that 1.-The Sec
: retarys statement is at variance with
what he has said heretofore"
Committee Is Divided.
The committee is sharply divided over
whether the revised protocol which
Elihu Root helped to frame amply
safeguards the reservation voted by the
Senate in 1926 to prohibit the Court
from rendering an advisory opinion in
matters in which America is concern
ed without first obtaining the consent
of this Government.
The other powers never accepted this
reservation and the revised protocol was
drafted.
Secretary Stimson, who was unable
to appear before the committee today
because of a cold. ended his letter TO
Senator Borah with the following state
ment:
BY joining we incur absolutely no
liabilities, except the Insignificant La
bility to pay our share of the Courts
expenses. while on the contrary We
gain q power to exercise our influence,
not only in the choice of the judges
of the Court, but In its method OF pro-
cedure as we'll, which we do not now
have.
Need Now Greatest"
Never before was the world in
greater need of the orderly development
Of international rules of conduct by the
wise method of judicial decision, which
We Americans are SO well acquainted
with in the development of the COM
mon law of this country.
I'VE have delayed long in availing
ourselves of that opportunity. I sin
cerely hope that we will now assume
the privileges and the responsibility OK
taking part in that growth in the
future"
Concurs With Root.
80 far as this protocol is concerned"
Mr.. Stinson wrote in a lengthy ex-
PLANTATION of his views, Il can add moth
ing to the clear exposition of its history
and meaning which its author, Mr..
Root, gave to your committee year
ago.
1T concur with him that the protocol
fully accepts the five reservations OF the
Senate resolution Of 1926, and thereby
imposes the jurisdictional restriction
upon the World Court as to advisory
opinions which was sought by the fifth
reservation of the Senate.
THAT fifth reservation, on its face,
was directly addressed to the Court;
not to the Council or the Assembly
which requests opinions but to the
Court which renders them.
Its language was that the court
shall not render any advisory opinions
except upon the terms laid down in the
reservation.
"A Statutory Restriction"
when by the consent Of the various
nations embodied in the Root protocol
it became part of the statute creating
the Court, it constituted statutory re-
striction or jurisdiction.
Chairman Borah said:
MANY members of the committee
were not satisfied with the Secretary's
letter. Indeed, it was commended that
it led to confusion. 1t was decided to
await the pleasure of the Secretary Of
State TO ask him some questions. We
will proceed as soon as the Secretary
Is able
No meeting will be held before next
Wednesday.