| Show U. U U.-S U. S. S Entry Into League Still Moot Question n k y I t e t s p at b M Y a Ji ul- ul OR i rIIa Home Homs of the th League of Nations at Geneva By y WILLAM C C. C UTLEY League of Nations was fifteen fifteen nt Tim THE teen years old oM on January 10 I During tho those e years It tins has ac nc- man many things an and failed In others othus It hits has at least been heen mans man's most moat concrete and tangible attempt attempt attempt at at- tempt to recognize International brotherhood brotherhood broth broth- the geographical shrinkage of the world as science has hns conquered time and space simce and the futility of war The two outstanding accomplishments accomplish accomplish- ments of the league In 1031 In the time opinion ion of most authorities on Intern International affairs justified Its existence It maintained order during the Sitar plebiscite period and relieved the electric electric elec elec- tension that held I Europe because It brought about a peaceable settlement between Franco France and Germany It prevented prevented pre pro vented war I li I. Yugoslavia and Hungary over the time assassination of King Alexander b by getting these na nn- natIons nations to accept Its settlement of their differences os Its outstanding dud dod was I Its ItJI failure to do anything about the Chaco war An n American In fact the No 1 of his hla day da President Woodrow Wilson originated t the Idea of a League of Nations Nations Na Na- In 1018 The Tho league product of human tinman Intelligence and experience over r many years of strife strite and valueless bloodshed was the thinkers thinker's answer ver to tho the question What shall we do to prevent pre pro vent the HIP o occurrence of or another horrIble horrible hor hor- war In the future The l league Idea Ideo wa was Into an nn actual 1 fact In 1010 and the most conspicuous nation In la the discussions from which It was born was the tho United States conspicuous as the saying goes 1 by Its absence Ever since then the topic Shall the United States Stales Join the League of Na Nil loner h has s b been Cn the subject of spirited debate dehale In Iri the nations nation's capital In tn bust busi business ness mess conferences and In front porch front porch hours when Mr and Mrs American Voter discussed ed with their neighbors the activities of the persons they had sent to Washington to look after their Interests At various times within the last fifteen fit teen years relus the thing has bat come to a ahead head bend Points pro and con have been driven with such a R persistence and enthusiasm that It set seemed sC something would have to be done about It The latest of these boiling points occurred when George II Il Tinkham the representative from Massachusetts de do- declared that the United States w was somewhat being dragged gl Into the League Lealue of Nations against Its lis will Tinkham accused Miss Hiss Prances Frances Perkins the secretary of labor of contemptible trickery ant and gross fraud In connection with the country's becoming a member of the International labor Tabor organization This Is only a wedge to work the United States Into the League of Nations said Representative Tinkham and Is merely a forerunner to the United States' States act of If Joining the World court World Court Up Again Twelve years of bickering have attended attended attended at at- tended the resolution for Immediate adherence of America to the World court But nut recently It was favorably cr Woodrow Wilson reported h by the senate committee on foreign relations Senator Joseph T T. T Robinson of Arkansas the majority leader has lias announced that he will bring the matter up on the time floor of the senate animate at the earliest opportunity Most of his opposition will come from frolD Senator James Hamilton l lx Lewis who has lias stood out as al the time chief opponent of If the league Idea for fur years ears Thus This nn nations nation's lIons lIon's membership In the World court Is advocated through the protocols proposed by Root former former for for- mer secretary of state and leading an jurors The he World court like the Ien League ue of Nations Is an out of American Ideas Idus At At Atthe the first Vague Hague conference In IS Ib III U the American delegation proposed pro pro- posed Plans for a permanent court of International justice Out Jut of this tide grew the Permanent Court of ot Arbitration lion tion more popularly known as the Hague Court of ot Arbitration T. T The Hague Is not a court ort that meets regularly Only when a controversy Is submitted by b some nation or nations do du the arbitrators selected from member mew memo her ber nations gather togi together The court has hns no power to Impose Its ItJI decisions on the parties concerned but can merely merely mere mere- ly Iy advise seeking to conciliate the par par- ties Independent of League ThIs Tills court functions altogether Independently In dependently of the league leam although It ItIs ItIs Itis Is a part of the league with provisions made for It In Article MUrie 14 of the leagues league's covenant The judges are ore named not b by the lea league gut but hut by the notional national groups which belonged to the Hague tribunal according to the Hoot Formula The el election CUon cf cr the Judges however Is by a majority vote of the assembly and aud the council of the League of Nations each ench bod body meeting sep sep- Meeting each year In June the World court considers cases casl'S only with tho the consent of both parties or parties or nations nations- concerned Requiring Its attention are l S k 5 S 4 i tw rS a u r I George H. H Tinkham matters such as Interpretations of treaties matters of International law lav and the existence of conditions that would mean lDean a n breach of international obligations Members may submit all nil of their disputes tes to the court or they may recognize the court but decline to submit their controversies to its Judgment The Time United States although It was a member of the tho Hague tribunal and although the World court was suggested suggest suggest- ed elt b by an American has hn never become a member of the World court In January Jan Jan- uary 1020 the senate voted voled to become a member of the tho World Worl 1 court If It the member nations You would III accept the followIng following fol fol- lowing provisions a n Adherence to the court should not Involve any legal relation on the part of the United States Slates to the League of Nations b The Time United States would pay a fair share of the expenses cf of the court as fixed by congress c The United States must have an equal voice with the other nations In the selection of judges d The United States must be privileged to withdraw from the court at any time and the statute of the court should not be amended without without with with- out our consent e All opinions of the court must be announced publicly and amid only after due notice has hns been given Iven all member states and Interested parties In September 1020 lYO the fifth of these reservations was as have been expected rejected by time the representatives tives thes of the member rations lations President dent C then definitely said that the World WorM court issue was dead Root Plan Acceptable The United States ICI ly wanted to Join the court however and In 10 S 10 g membership In the court was a plank In Inthe Inthe inthe the platforms of both the time Democratic and Republican parties In the followIng following following fol fol- fol- fol lowing year ear 1 Elihu lIhu It t was sent to Europe to confer with II a committee of jurists which was revising the original statute of the time World court l urt Mr Root Hoot devised a plan for the entry of the United States which was acceptable to all the member nations The Hoot as It has been Leer called ever since was the subject of praise from the then President II Hoover 00 ver who Included In eluded It In his bis first annual message to congress In 1029 1929 urging that the United States become a member The Time toot noot Formula which Is still the i article by which the proponents of t the e i World court ourt hope to secure the entry of the United States was of course devised to get around the objectionable fifth section of Ube U tJ original provisions for American membership These are the time chief points of the time Root Hoot Formula which Is still being shed died as desirable when lien there are discussions of this country's entry a II if the United I States Is or Is about to become Involved In In- In a dispute with oath another nat na- na t 1 the matter cannot be brought be he- fore the World court without our con consent consent consent sent even een for fur the tb purpose of securing from the court on nn advisory opinion b The secretary general of the League of or Nn Nations lions shall Inform the United States of nn any proposal for oh ob taming an advisory opinion of tin the court which Is pending before the coun council counell ell cil or assembly of the league with e i view to exchanging views between the th council or the assembly and the time Unite States as to whether an Interest of or orthe the United States Is 19 Involved c In the event that the court Is askel askee for an nn advisory opinion and Imd the States Slates objects to any such opinion be beIng beIng beIng Ing given by b the court Americas America's ob should have attributed to It the thi same force that would obtain to H II vote against asking for the opinion given by hy a member of the council or assembly If It the majority of the court should Insist on the opinion being en however the United d States can withdraw front from the World court at once without an any Imputation of or unwillingness to operate co-operate generally for peace pence or goodwill So apt was the Root noot Formula considered that it Is now a part of ot the statute of the court The opponents opponents' of ot American membership membership member member- ship In the league who have hue numbered among their constituents such names as Henry Cabot Lodge and William II H. Borah contend of or course that membership membership mem memo In the World court is but a stepping stone atone to the entrance of this country Into the League of Nations And nd the principal objection to league membership has been the possibility of the United States being dragged Into somebody else's war In holding up a decision of the league The United States since Its birth hlL has steadfastly maintained a ft policy cy of staying out of ot foreign controversies especially European European Euro Euro- penn controversies Could Avoid Going to War As a matter of fact if It the United States were a member of the league it would still sUII not have to t-J enter a war for the maintenance of a principle unless unless un un- less It wanted to The Time United States If it were a member would have a permanent seat on the league council A unanimous vote Is required for the council to begin a war against an offender of ot fender If It the time United States did not wish to enter such a war she could avoid It simply by Instructing cUng her representative representative rep rep- to vote against It The catch as ns the opponents see It It Is the fact that the country might be morally obligated If a member to vote In favor favor fa fa- vor of military action International prestige might suffer If It her representative representative represent represent- should disagree with the time others In certain situations Another criticism which Is entirely unfounded Is that some sOllie other country might have hae as many as liS six votes to our one in the league This Is not factually so as far tar as dl direct action is concerned It Is possible that another power might have hav more lIlore representatives In la the assembly but It Is the council that really nets acts for the rhe league The Time assembly Is merely nn an advisory body which debates moot questions The R. R I ti titi ti to l lJ I J Senator W W. W E E. E Borah lorah I II I j I United States would have ham a power In Inthe inthe I Ithe the council that would be equal to that of an any nation which was a per per- permanent permanent manent member Two o thlu things s which have l hampered the work of the league since its origin have hae been the absence of It two of the I greatest powers namely the United States Statts and Russia Japan it Is true has left the league but hut her reasons were entirely discreditable to herself and creditable to the league Russia of course was wall not admitted for many years jours lars because of time the doubtful status of the time Russian government hut But with the recent admission of cf the Soviet union to membership half bolt of gap has hils been filled up 6 E. E N Ne apr r CD I. I |
