AMERICA'S ISOLATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 89, 14 April 1923, Page 7

AMERICA'S ISOLATION.

THE WORLD COURT QUESTION.

REPUBLICAN DISSENSION.

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.)

NEW YORK, April 13.

The Washington correspondent of the New York "Times" states • that Mr. Hoover's speech on America and the World Court of Justice has caused an avalanche of dissension between various factions in the Republican party, while the Democrats stand aloof, feeling that they fought the League of Nations' issue in 1920, and their support for the League and the International Court' is still strong. The Republicans are divided into five classes —those for the Court; those utterly against it, such as Mr. Johnston; those undecided, such as Mr. Watson; those who think the Court not sufficiently powerful, such as Mr. Pepper and Mr. Borah; and, finally, those who think the Court and f.he League should both be entered by the United States, with reservations, such as Mr. Lodge. There was much talk in Washington to-day among these groups, various Senators issuing statement.* airing ' their views. Mr. Harding's problem of i reconciling the various factions grows 1 increasingly difficult. Mr. W. E. Borah, .- n ■> : *-'tp-ne-it in reply to Mr. Hoover, declared that if the United "States was un-.villin-f to subscribe to compulsory ; arbitration it was unready to be governed by international law. If different Governments likewise were not ready it : was clear they proposed to be governed in the future, as in the past, purely by political machinery by members of political forces. "Look over the record of the last three years," continued Mr. Borah. "The leading nations of Europe were pledged by the arbitration clauses of the League, yet on every vital question they voluntarily have chosen war instead of arbitration. T have not criticised the Court in principle; I believe in it thoroughly, but we ought to make this a real Court with Government by law, not by intrijrue and secret diplomacy and politics. I believe we can do it; certainly it is worth while to try." —(A. and N.Z. Cable.)