The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1954-09-17


ever been fulfilled as it would
have been if made with foreign
power.
In accordance with Interna.
tional Law. the Laws of Nations
- President Woolsey says In.
ternational Law in a wide and
abstract sense would embrace
those rules of intercourse be-
tween nations which are deduced
from their rights and moral
claims: or in other words: it is
the expression of the jural and
moral relations Of states to one
another"
If International Law were not
made up of rules for which rca-
son could be given satisfactory
to mans intellectual and moral
nature: if it were not built on
principles Of right. it would be
less of a science than is the code
which governs the actions of pc.
lite society.
1t is evident therefore. that the
one fundamental right. Of which
the laws of nations. is at once
the expression. and the guardi-
an: is the right Of every nation
to just treatment from other ia.
tio.:s: the right of even the
smallest republic equally with
the most powerful kingdom. a
right indcfcnsiblc. inalienablc is
no ways lcsscned by weakness.
or strengthened by power.
National contracts are even
more solemn and sacred than
private ones. on account of the
great interest involved. of the
great deliberateness with which
the obligations arc assumed. of
the pcrmancncc and generality
Of the obligations measured by
the national life. and Of each ma.
ton calling under God to be a
teacher of rights to all within
and without its borders.
Vattcl says: 1T Is a settled
point in natural law that he who
has made a promise to anyone
has conferred upon him a real
right to require the thing prom.
ised: and consequently that a
breach Of a perfect promise Is a
violation Of another persons
right. and as evidently an act Of
injustice as II would be to rob q
man Of his property. There
would no longer be any security:
no longer any commerce be.
tween mankind. II they did not
think themselves obliged to keep
faith with each other. and to per.
form their promises.
II Is evident that the whole
weight Of the recognized and &C.
ceptcd Law Of Nations Is thrown
on the side of justice between
nation and nation: and Is the rec.
Ognizcd and accepted standard
Of the obligation involved in
cOmpacts between nation AID ~.
ton. We must look then among
the Nations for the Just and il
c0ntr0vcrtible measure of the
shame Of breaking national c0m.
pacts, and Of the wickcdncss OF
the nations that dare to do Il.
Treaties are no better than
empty words. II nations do not
consider them as respectable en-.
gagcmcnts. as rules which are to
be inviOlably observed by Sow.
crcigns and held sacred through.
out the whole earth: and IL man.
kind be not wilfully deficient In
their duty 10 themselves. infamy
must ever be the portion of him
who violates his faith. lie who
violates his treaties - violates
at the same time the Laws Of Ma.
tons. For he disrcgards the faith
Of treaties. that faith which the
Law Of Nations declares sacred,
and SO far as dependent on him,
he renders II vain and incffcc.
tual.
Wheaton says: "Trcatics con.
tinue TO bind the states. What.
ever Intervening changes may
take place In It's internal con.
stituti0n. Or In the person Of its