Evening star., 1941-04-25
Protection Of Right
To Trade Held Vital
To World Wide Peace
international Law Body
Hears Suggestions for
Curbs on Sovereignty

Territorial aggression cannot be
prevented unless the right to trade
Is recognized and protected, the
American Society of International
Law was told today with the warm
ing that international law must
contribute to the solution of this
grave problem if the world is to get
out Of its present anarchy"
Prof. Quincy Wright of the Uni
versity of Chicago, who summoned
his colleagues to action in an ad-
dress at the Carlton Hotel, pointed
out that in the past international
lawyers have dealt casually with
the problem of commerce" and per-
haps have been TOO much inclined
to leave the matter to economists
and politicians.
I'VE must realize" he said. that
IN our present situation of economic
nter-dependenCe among all sections
Of the globe, as unlimited economic
sovereignty of states is incompatible
with stable world order
Prof. Wright spoke on a program
with Edward L. Hambro. son of
Carl j. Hambro, president of the
Norwegian Parliament. and Prof.
Frederick S. Dunn of Yale Uni
yersity.
Positive Laws" Urged.
Maintaining that economic SOW
ereignty of states must be limited
by rules of positive law IF a more
stable and prosperous world order
is to be achieved" he suggested
number of approaches for develop
ing such rules International tri-
hunals, Prof. Wright said, might be
q medium to gradually define types
Of trade regulation and diScrimina-
ton so injurious to other states as
to create an international respon-
sibility."
He suggested there might be
recognition of "a basic human
right to contract and to trade,
qualified of course by reasonable
government control in the public
interest"
AS another alternative he offered
plan for an international eco
nonlic commission" to conciliate
international claims and contro-
versieS arising from acts of govern
ments or practices of business con-
Germs alleged to be unfair. He also
advanced the suggestion that "bi-
lateral treaties might be negotiated
more generally on the basis of
reciprocal and unconditional most
favored-nation treatment gradually
reducing tariffs and eliminating
other distractions to trade"
World Economic Setup.
Prof. Wright's other possibilities
were that multi-lateral treaties of
the kind urged in economic con-
ferences held by the League of Ma
tions might gradually establish a
code of fair practice in economic
commerce" or that an international
economic organization similar to
that of the League. perhaps repre-
sentative of commerce and industry
as we'll as of States. might investi-
gate and publiciZe the commercial
practices of States and their conse-
Quences.
Dr.. Hambro, who teaches inter-
national law at Northwestern Uni
verSity, urged the society to ''recog-
nize the fact that there is a need
for enlarging the chance of indivi-
dualS to plead their cause directly
before international tribunals" He
said the most serious argument used
against the access of individuals to
international courts is that 1t might
infringe upon the sovereignty of the
State" Holding. however, that this
is a strong argument in favor of
enlarging the scope of the individual
in international law, he said the
dogma of sovereignty is in reality
the very negation of international
law, word that is used whenever
a State wishes to pursue line of
policy against the interests of the
community of States"
DR.. Hambro said thet stronges
reason for working in favor of
better position for the individual in
International law lis that it can
counteract extreme nationalism and