Evening star., 1938-05-01
SAYRE.URGESU.S.
BEREADY TOF|GHT
Some Things Are Worse
Than War; He Tells
Law Society.

IN this crucial period Of history the
United States cannot afford to be a
cipher" Assistant Secretary of State
Francis B. Sayre declared last night
at dinner of the American Society
Of International Law at the Carlton
Hotel.
1.-THE strengthening of a rule of
law" Mr.. Sayre said, comes not
through supine inaction When forces
OF lawlessness are abroad, supine in
action in effect means siding with the
evil against the good. The strongest
encouragement which can be given
lawless aggressors is to make it quite
clear that they have nothing to fear
from those with power to Withstand
them.
"The United States cannot afford
TO be cipher at this crucial moment
Of the worlds history We must be
resolute and prepared if necessary to
Withstand the aggression Of the law
less. This Goes not mean desire for
war. War is evil incarnate. But it
means recognition of the fact that
some things are worse than fighting
If hghting be in defense of life or
principles"
Treaty Breakers Condemned.
Condemning treaty breakers with
out mentioning any specific nation,
Mr.. Sayre said:
Fighting, cruelty and mass killing
IN two important countries have con-
tinued unabated for months. Barbaric
ruthlessness is threatening Europe as
we'll as Asia
Mr.. Sayre added that the time had
passed when the content of interna-
tlonal law was matter of conse-
quence. The question today, he said,
Is the stark issue of whether a law of
nations claims any recognition at all.
Civilization he depicted as caught
between two profoundly conflicting
ways Of life-on the one hand 1.-The
primal law Of tooth and fang" and.
on the other. "the way of co-opera-
ton and moral restraint and human
brotherhood"
The failure of collective security
was conceded by two other speakers
Count George Potocki, the Polish
Ambassador, and NJ Jan Hostile, legal
adviser to the Belgian foreign office.
Abstract Principles Fade.
Count Potocki said: Reduced to
very simple terms, the reason for
the failure of collective security lies
in the fact that the nations of the
world which solemnly undertook TO
apply it were unwilling to jeopardize
their interests for the sake of a prin-
ciple Of abstract justice and abstract
fairness
Treaties. as we'll as laws on the
statute books. are only enforceable to
the extent to which they express
the moral and mental attitudes of the
peoples to whom they apply. If we
have no difficulty in enforcing the
laws which punish murders, thefts
and frauds, it is because the vast
majority of us feel that these crimes
should be punished On the other
hand, If the law should say that 1t
Is q crime to take a cocktail before
dinner and the majority of us feel
that. far from being a crime. it is
very pleasant and harmless pastime,
then, In spite Of all idealistic con-
siderations, the law becomes unen-
forceable.
1T is the same with principles OF
collective security. No amount Of per-
suasion or appeal to the higher and
better instincts of mankind will make
us pay tremendous sacrifices for
cause with which we are not con-
cerned. I admit this is depressing
thought, but 1t is true nevertheless"
Must Have Considerations.
Declaring it was quite obvious that
neither acceptance of ''the divine right
Of the stronger to rule" or appeal to
''the good will of nations" would bring
the nations any nearer solution, the
Ambassador added:
II believe it Is the essential prin-
ciple in the law of contracts that in
order for a contract to be enforceable
there must be consideration. What
possible consideration can there exist
in Ar undertaking to come to each
others aid entered into between two
states. one of which lies in the middle
OF Europe and the other in the middle
Of Africa? On the other hand, if,