Evening star., 1935-01-17
COURT ADHERENCE
SEEN PEACE COG|
World Tribunal to Assure
Curb on Passions
of Nations.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

was enough to cause the Senators to
look around for convenient places to
bury the protocol until some indefinite
future when it would be more ex-
pedient to act upon it, an occasion
that never seemed to arise.
Back of the opposition to the rati-
fication Of the World Court protocol
has been the League of Nations con-
troversy. Critics Of the Court might
privately concede that entry into the
Court was innocuous enough but that
It meant an opening wedge toward
American participation officially in the
League of Nations.
Now it seems certain that the World
Court protocol will be ratified.
Though this has been advocated by
Republican and Democratic secre-
taries of State and Presidents for a
dozen years, the ratification has been
delayed or side-tracked by opponents
Of the Court.
Significance Not Realized.
The average person may not see just
what significance this World Court
controversy really has. For one thing,
the administration assures critics that
the United States does not have to
submit case to the World Court If
it is disinclined to do so. The Court
does not take jurisdiction over a dis
pute unless the United States and the
other party wish it to do so.
= Then why all the debate and delay?
The answer is that the opponents of
the Court regard it as a creature OF
the League of Nations and insist that
the Court may render advisory
opinions" on matters in which the
United States is affected and that this
may interfere with Americas freedom
Of action. But reservation has been
attached which would prevent the
Court from rendering even an advisory
opinion on any matter in which the
United States claims an interest un-
less the American Government con-
sents.
Moral Support Gain Seen.
The principal value of American
membership in the World Court is
the moral support given by the United
States to a movement to settle dis
putes by judicial means, instead of by
violence. The mere fact that there
is a tribunal in existence to which
controversies of nature which can
be settled by court can be referred
affords an opportunity for national
passions to be held in check while
the Court studies the merits OF the
case.
In many instances, the United States
would not have a remote interest in
the issues in dispute, but, if war
should break out between the parties
the possibility would arise Of disrup-
ton of American commerce and
ENHANCEMENT of American interests in
such a war.
For centuries, the world has strug-
gled to develop O code OF international
law which would set forth the prin-
ciples governing the behavior OF
civilized nations in their relations with
each other. Efforts to set up an inter-
national court have been more per-
sistent in the last 80 years and would
probably have reached consummatiOn
but for the interruption of the World
War.
Regarded as Peace Cog.
y The World Court is not expected to
solve all the problems of a justiciable
=. nature, but to add one more piece Of
machinery, in addition to diplomacy's
. effort, to prevent bloodshed as result
of differences of opinion or conflict Of
. interest between sovereign powers.
:, The fact that President Roosevelt is
: willing to push for the ratification Of
: the international court is Of world
wide significance, for it may be the
beginning of a new era of international
= collaboration, such as was enytsaged
; by President Wilson. There is talk OF
= possible American entry into the
. League, but it Is doubtful whether the
:, administration intends to do more at
: any time than merely associate Amer
|. lea with the general aims and purposes
of the League. There is no plan to
bring about American acceptance of
the articles of the Covenant, though,
to be sure, the dangers foreseen a
decade ago and the charges that the
League itself would be breeder OF
wars have not materialized. Canada,
for instance, has been a member Of
s<the League and has not felt any obli-
cation, direct or indirect, to entangle
herself in European wars or conflicts
Presidents Statement Effective.
> lAr. Roosevelts concluding state
,ment in his message to Congress will
produce throughout the world pro-
found effect, for it is the first word
from him of Americas general purpose
to work more closely with the ma
chinery other nations have provided to
insure world peace. He said:
In this period Of international re-
lationships, when every act Is Of mo-
ment to the future of world peace, the
United States has an opportunity once
more to throw its weight into the scale
in favor of peace"
America has long had one Of its
citizens on the World Court, but as an
unofficial representative. When rati-
fication is complete, the United States
will have resumed her place in the
world as q champion of law and fair
dealing in the relations of sovereign
peoples.
Some day the World Court may have
prestige enough to declare by decision
that war debts are a solemn obligation
and that nations which do not honor
their bonds are guilty of a breach of
international law. Maybe the adher-
ence Of America to the World Court
will of that time n O va q MORO r,ro ct io q
meaning than it has today.
Copyright, 1935.)