| Show LEAGUE OF NATIONS AND WORLD COURT for the reaper by frank P litschert students of political affairs in washington are beginning to speculate as to whether the country is to be treated to another league of nations and world court fight and just what effects such a contest if it takes place will have on pending legislation in the united states senate the united states has had two or three spectacular legislative combats of the kind the first of these and of course the most spectacular ta was when the senate refused membership in the league of nations for the united states this was back in the administration of president wilson and it brought out some of the greatest debates which I 1 had been heard in the upper legislative body since the days of Web webster clay and calhoun the most recent of these international political struggles was the one which occurred in the administration of president coolidge when the senate by an overwhelming vote agreed to place the united states in the world court with certain reservations in the league of nations fight the senate in rejecting membership shi p in in the league undoubtedly took the popular side as was evidenced in the election of 1920 when the league was a prominent issue the action of the senate in adhering to the world court with reservations was not passed by the voters in the election of 1928 for the beason that when the european nations refused to aglee to some of the senate reservations vat ions it was generally presumed that the world cobit issue was dead so far as the united states was concerned and international affairs aroused little or no interest in the campaign the platforms of both the republican and democratic panties declared against entangling foreign international issues have come to the forefront again however due to the trip of elihu root former secretary of state to europe in an ef foit to bring about an understanding with europe regarding the entrance of uncle sam into the world court just how this understanding will bivil yi vil to the T united pw and ali the administration at washington ierna legains ins to be seen it is generally claimed by those who oppose going into the court with beser va eions less drastic than those previously proposed by the senate that the root formula weakens the famous reservation no 5 of our world court resolution this reservation attempted to prevent the court from giving advisory opinion on any subject in which the united states claimed an interest without the consent of the united states government under the root formula according to those OP opposed posed to this document by the terms of that formula the united states as a member of the court would have to accept an advisory opinion or get out of the court with all the hard feeling which such a withdrawal would entail the words quoted are arc from the new york sun which does not favor the adherence of t the h e united states slates to the court under the root formula that there will be a real fight over the question is evidenced by the fact that some of the outstanding senatorial leaders in the anti league fight are showing evidences of their desire to take a stand against the root formula on the hand those statesmen who formerly favored our joining the league of nations without reservations or with mild reservations vat ions are generally lining up for the root formula it is not regarded as likely that the question will get before the senate until the winter session bession anday that time both sides will have time to marshall their forces and it is likely then that other legislation will have to stand aside while the world court and league of nations occupy the center of the stage those who oppose the root formula will assert that it weakens the senate reservation and that it will put the united states in the league through the back door we shall doubtless hear a great deal also about great britaina Brit ains six votes in the world cobit to our one those favoring the root formula will declare of course that it does not entangle us and that at any rate we can withdraw if it suit us to this last argument the antis will reply that if we once get in it will be difficult to get out and that any tendency on our part to withdraw draw will be hailed by europe and our pro europeans as poor sportsmanship and failure to do our part toward saving the world taken all in all it promises to be a pretty busy winter in washington |
