Evening star., 1952-04-09
Garfield AssaiIs u. n.
Genocide Convention
As Threat 10 Liberty

A warning that the United
Nations genocide convention
strikes at the foundations of
American liberty was sounded
last night by Austin F. Garfield,
past president of the District
Bar Association.
The proposed International
Criminal Court also was excori-
ated by the attorney in an ad-
dress before the association in
the Mayflower Hotel.
The genocide convention, the
speaker recalled. was adopted by
the General Assembly of the
U. N. in 1948. after it was pro-
posed by the Commission on
Human Rights. 1t is now await
ing Senate action, after being
approved by President Truman
and the State Department.
The treaty, or convention asI
1t is termed, makes it incumbent
on all signatory nations Ito en-
sure to all individuals the
rights recognized in this conven-
tlon. without distinction of any
kind such as race, color, sex, Ian |
guage. religion. political or other
opinion. national or social origin,
property, birth or status -.
The treaty further makes it man.
datory for each state to pass any
necessary laws to give effect to |
the rights recognized in the
covenant within "a reasonable
time"
Hits Treaty Laws"
To this the speaker posed the |
question: Shall we be governed |
IN our international affairs and |
domestic laws by treaty law or |
by laws passed by Congress with /
q constitutional basis?" /
He quoted, with approval, the
stand taken by Carl Rix. past |
president of the American Bar
Association, on the question to
the effect that here was the be-
ginning of a complete surrender
OF all control by the people of the /
United States to an international !
tribunal. who would not and could
not see eye to eye with the laws
OF the United States a loss of
constitutional guarantees and
freedoms by the people of this
country :"
Mr.. Garfield continued: "People +
who do not know the meaning of /
freedoms are to be metamorphosed /
INTO judges of the freedoms of i
others. A common pattern is to /
ne set for billions of people of diff I
1erent languages. religions, stand /
ards of living, culture, education /
and mental and physical capacity, I
10 bring some people to a higher /
standard, those far above those /
standards, under the guise of sac /
rlflce to the common good, are to :
accept the mediocrity of the /
average" i
Study Is Voted.
Mr.. Garfield also blasted the !,
proposed International Criminal I
Court as being foreign to the :
American concept of Justice and :
being without the safeguards of |:
trial by jury and the Fifth Amend |:
ment. /
On Mr.. Canfield's motion, the :
association voted to name a COM |:
mlttee to study the problem and /:
report back to the membership for
general consideration.
In other business the associa-
ton selected the following to-:
serve as a nominating committee /:
Tor this summers bar association /:
election: Charles E. Ford, Milton |:
King, Wilbur Gray, Cecil Heflin,
George E. Nc Neil, 10. v. Morgan,
81, and Lowry N. Coe. |;
A proposal to purchase a build /
Ing at 1922 Sixteenth street NV.
for $4,000 as a home for the
association was voted down mainly
on the ground that the structure
Is not large enough.
The meeting was enlivened by a
series OF sklts presented by men,
bers OF the Junior Bar Section. |: