"AMERICAN INITIATIVE."

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 53, 4 March 1925, Page 4

"AMERICAN INITIATIVE."

The unpopularity of the United States in the world to-day is due mainly to the discrepancy between. American utterances and American policy. America, so leading Americans say, is all for peace and reconstruction, but the country declines to join the League of Nations and insists upon Europe paying the debts owing to the United States, though those debts were incurred in a common cause. To-day we have Mr. C. E. Hughes, the retiring Secretary* of State, referring to America's share in extending and strengthening international law. in words that may irritate foreigners. "Thanks to American initiative."' says Mr. Hughes, in a statement about Jhe forthcoming International Congress of Jurists, to be held at Rio de Janeiro, "we are on the threshold of accomplishments in the most important endeavour of the human race to lift

itself out of the savagery of strife into the domain of law." Let us hope that the Arnerica3 and the rest of the world are on such a threshold. It may be pointed out, however, that the League of Nations holds the field as the chief organisation set up to serve the cause of international law as opposed to force. The United States is not a member of that League. It has not even "adhered" to the International Court set up by the League, though the President and Mr. Hughes are in favour of this step. America's contribution to the general cause of international law has been valuable, but its "grand refusal" in respect to the League hardly qualifies for the world's leadership.